Name: Malik Saim Mehmood

Assignment # 02

Subject: ICT

Q1: Outline the major milestones in the history of computers from the earliest mechanical

devices to modern digital computers. Mention at least three significant developments and

their impact on technology.

Ans: Earliest Mechanical

The first computing device that was used in 2000 BC was Abacus it consisted of beads that were

used to perform basic arithmetic operations like Addition, Subtraction & Division It is still used

in some part of the world to teach these basic operations. This was the foundation stone for the

computer that are being used today,

Pascal Calculator was the first mechanical computer that could perform function like direct

addition multiplication and division this was the first time when arithmetic operations were

done by a machine. This machine was invented in 1642.

Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine was the first attempt to make a programmable computer it

was not completed due to lack of technological development but it could be said that Charles

Babbage is the father of today’s modern computer.

Electronic Computer

Dr. John V. Atanasoff and Clifford Berry build the first electronic digital computer. This

computer, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer, provides the foundation for advances in electronic
digital computers. It was invented in 1937 and after its invention a new Era of modern computer

was started.

William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain invented the transistor. The transistor

revolutionized computers, proving much more reliability than vacuum tubes. They were

invented in 1947. Computer that was using transistors were far more reliable smaller and faster.

Transistors are still used in many electronics.

Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments invents the integrated circuit, which lays the foundation for

high-speed computers and large-capacity memories. Computers built with IC Chips mark the

beginning of the third generation of computer hardware. The invention of IC Chips

revolutionized the industry of computer. These computer were even smaller and reliable than

second generation computers

Dr. Ted Hoff of Intel Corporation develops a microprocessor the Intel 4004. A microprocessor

was a small chips that was responsible for all of the processing of the computer. The invention

of this chip made the computer much smaller and compact Todays computer are also using

these chips and the latest version is Intel Corei9 14 gen.

Q2: Discuss the different classifications of computers based on size, purpose, and data

handling. Provide examples for each classification.

Ans: Size

Based on size there are 4 types of computers

1. Supercomputer
 2. Mainframe Computer

3. Mini-Computer

4. Micro-Computer

Supercomputer: It is the most powerful computer it can process more than Trillions of bits per

second. It can support more than thousands of users at the same time. For e.g IBM’s Summit.

Mainframe Computer: It is more powerful than mini computer but less than supercomputer it

can process Trillions of bits per second and it can support thousands of users at the same time.

For e.g IBM Z series.

Mini-Computer: It is less powerful than mainframe but more than micro-computer it can

process billions of bits per seconds. It can support hundreds of users at the same time. For e.g

PDP-11.

Micro-Computer: It is the smallest and least powerful computer It is also known as personal

computer. It can process millions of bits per second. For e.g Desktop PC’s & Laptops.

Purpose

There are 2 types of computers

1. General Purpose

2. Special-Purpose Computer

General Purpose: They are most commonly used in homes and offices for daily works like using

MS Word, Watching Movies & Playing game. For Examples Desktop PC.
Special-Purpose Computers: These computers are specifically designed to perform a specific

task efficiently for example GPS Devices and Scientific calculators.

Data Handling

There are 3 types computer in Data Handling

1. Analog Computer

2. Digital Computer

3. Hybrid Computer

Analog: These types of computer are used to process data that is in continuous form such as

voltage and current. For Example Digital Voltmeter

Digital Computer: These computers work with binary digits (0,1) they take and process discrete

data for example Desktop PC & Laptop.

Hybrid: These types of computer can process both discrete and analog data at the same time

for Example Scientific Research Devices.

Q3: Identify and describe the main components of a computer system. Explain the function of

each part.

Ans: A computer system is composed of 5 component these are

1. Input Devices

2. Output Devices

3. System Unit

4. Storage Devices
 5. Communication Devices.

Input Devices: These devices are used to give input to the computer it can be a command, data

or anything else that is need to be fed to the computer. For example, Keyboard, Mouse,

Scanner, Bar Code Reader.

Output Devices: These devices are used to display the output the processing of computer the

output can be in different form i.e hard and soft. For Example, LED, Printer, Plotter, Speaker.

System Unit: This is the main part of the computer it is made up of interconnection of different

components Processor, Power Supply, Ram etc. All the processing is done here and it is also

known as the Brain of the computer System. For example HP Desktop PC .

Storage Devices: These devices are used to store different types of data it can be an output,

windows or anything else all of the computer’s data is stored in these devices. For Example,

Hard Drive, Ram, Rom, Cache, SSD etc

Communication Devices: A communication device is such a device that enables a computer to

send & receive data from one computer to another computer. In the past modems were the

most common communication device but todays most of the communication is done over the

internet. Computer can be connected to internet using NIC ( Network Interface Card ).

Q4: Explain the role of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) in a computer system. What are I/O

devices, and why are they essential? Provide examples of both.

Ans: CPU
CPU stands for Central Processing Unit it is the Brain of the computer and its responsible for all

of the processing done in the computer. It consist of 2 part ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit ) and CU (

Control Unit ). The ALU is responsible for all of the calculation done by computer and CU is used

to give commands and operations it also controls all the I/O devices and Storage Devices. For

Example, Intel Corei9 14 Gen

I/O ( Input Output Devices )

I/O devices are the devices that are used to communicate with the computer if we want to give

some input or a command to the computer we must use and Input Device in order to give the

command then the computer processes the input and the output is displayed on the output

devices such as LED or printed in Hard Copy by printer. Example of I/O devices are LED,

Keyboard, Mouse, Speaker, Printer, Scanner, Plotter etc.

Q5: Calculate as per provided data

a. Calculate the total storage capacity in bytes of a device that has 2 Terabytes (TB) of

memory.

b. Convert 500 Gigabytes (GB) into Megabytes (MB).

Ans: To convert Terabytes into megabytes below steps are followed.

2TB x 1024= 2048GB

2048GB x 1024 = 2,097,152 MB

2,097,152 MB x 1024 = 2,147,483,648 Bytes

500 GB x 1024 = 512,000 MB

Q6: Explain the difference between bits and bytes. How many bits are in a byte? Why is this

distinction important in computer science?

Ans: Bit is the smallest unit of storage in computer it represent a 0 or 1 in a computer memory.

A byte is made up of 8 bits combination of 8 0’s and 1’s are known as byte data in computer

terminology is commonly represented in bytes for Example MegaBytes, GigaBytes & TeraBytes

etc. The difference between these tow are very important in order to present the correct data

because the data is commonly seen as bytes.

Q7: Numbering Systems:

a. Convert the decimal number 255 into binary, hexadecimal, and octal.

b. Explain the significance of the binary number system in computing.

Ans: A
B

Binary number system is the backbone of the computer all of the data weather its input data to

be processed or to be stored it is in the form of binary numbers 0’s and 1’s. Computer only

understand the binary language and if we want to tell computer to do some task we need to

give the command in binary form. Computer processes is composed of thousand of logic gate

and the input to these gates are in binary form.

Q8: Describe what a bus is in computer architecture. What are the types of buses, and what

roles do they play in data transmission?

Ans: Bus

A bus is a channel that connect different components on the motherboard they are used to

transfer data form RAM to microprocessor and also within the microprocessor. It has to parts

Address bus and Control bus. Buses transfer bits of data from one part to another. The size of

the bus is determined by the number of bits it can transfer at one time. There are 2 types of

buses.

1. System Bus

2. Expansion Bus

System Bus is the part of the motherboard which connects main memory to the processor.

Expansion Bus is the type of the bus that allows the microprocessor to communicate with the

expansion cards that are attached on the motherboard.