MATHS SOLUTION POINT

MATHS SOLUTION POINT Chapter-1

Generation & Types of Computer
Section-A (Structure Question)
1. Write down the short notes on Abacus and Nepier’s bones.
Ans: Abacus: A simple device for calculating, consisting of a frame with rows of wires or grooves
along which beads are slid. Mesopotamia or Sumerian civilization was one of the oldest civilizations in
human history. Between 2700bc to 2300 bc. Sumerian used the first abacus to count.
Uses:
a) It is used to perform addition, subtraction, division and multiplication.
b) It can also be used to extract square roots and cubic roots of a number.
c) It removes fear about mathematics from the minds of students as it makes calculations easier.

Nepier’s Bones:

Napier's bones is a manually-operated calculating device created by John

Napier of Merchiston, Scotland for the calculation of products and quotients of numbers. The method
was based on lattice multiplication, and also called 'rabdology4', a word invented by Napier.

2. Write short notes on Pascaline, Difference Engine, and Analytical Engine.

Pascaline: The Pascaline was the first mechanical calculator and was invented by Blaise Pascal in 1641.
It consisted of a rectangular box with eight movable wheels. It was used for addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division of numbers up to hundreds and thousands.
Difference Engine: In the 19th century, Charles Babbage invented the first mechanical computer. It was
called the difference Engine.
Analytical Engine: Charles Babbage also invented the first general- purpose computer known as the
Analytical Engine. The Analytical Engine had the same basic elements as modern computers- input,
output, and memory devices.
3. Who is the father of modern computers?
Ans: Charles Babbage is the known as the father of modern computers.
4. Write down the characteristics features of the first generation computers.
Ans: Some of the characteristics feature of the first generation computers:
a. They used vacuum tubes.
b. They were very large in size, had small internal storage, and were very expensive.
c. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape.
5. Write down the some examples of first generation computers.
Ans: Mark 1, ENIAC, EDSAC, EDVAC, UNIVAC 1.
6. Write down the full form of ENIAC, EDSAC, EDVAC and UNIVAC 1.
Ans: ENIAC: Electronic Numerical integrator and Computer.
EDSAC: Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator.
EDVAC: Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer.
UNIVAC 1: Universal Automatic Computer.
7. Write down the short notes on Mark 1, ENIAC, EDSAC, EDVAC, and UNIVAC 1.
Mark 1: Mark 1 was designed by Howard H. Aiken in the year 1944. It was about 15 meters long and
the wires connecting the various parts of the machine were about 800 kilometers.
ENIAC: Its full form is Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. The ENIAC was developed by
John Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchly in the year 1946. It was the first fully electronic digital
computer.
EDSAC: Its full form is electronic delay storage automatic calculator. The EDSAC was designed by
Professor M Wilkes of Cambridge University, England; in the year 1949 was slightly faster than the
ENIAC. It was the electronic computer that used stored programs.
EDVAC: Its full form is electronic discrete variable automatic computer. The EDVAC was proposed
by John P. Eckert and John W. Mauchly in 1944 even as the ENIAC was being developed. John von
Neumann, who also gave the concept of stored programs, joined them later to help in designing the
EDVAC. It had the capacity to hold stored programs as well as data.

Generation Period Main component Characteristics Examples

First 1940-58 Vacuum tubes • Very large in size, small EDSAC
internal storage, slow speed. EDVAC
• High power consumption
• Large installation area
• Difficulty to program
Second 1959-64 Transistors • Smaller, faster and cheaper IBM1401
• Contained many RCA 501
components associated with
modern day computers-
printer, memory storage,
operating system etc.
• Programming languages,
such as COBOL and
FORTARN came into use.
Third 1964-70 Integrated circuits (chips) • Smaller size, greater speed IBM 360
and efficiency and 370
• Increased storage capacity series.
• Different programs could be
run together.
Fourth 1971- Microprocessors • Greater computing power Modern
present • Greater storage capacity day PCs,
• Use better storage devices laptops,
that cost less palmtops
• Can be linked together or
networked
Fifth 1989- Artificial intelligence • Extremely high speed and CRAY
Future enormous storage capacity CS300
• Ability to carry out series
sophisticated operation such
as weather forecasting
• Might overcome the lack of
thinking power.
8. Write down characteristics of modern computers.
Speed: very high.
Accuracy: super accuracy.
High storage capacity:
Diligence (untiring):
Versatility:
9. Write down the limitations of modern computers.
In spite of so many advantages, computers do have some limitations.
a) Computers lack decision-making abilities.
b) Computers need to be instructed at each and every step.
c) If an unanticipated situation arises, they will either produce incorrect results.
d) Besides, being machines, computers lack emotions.
10. Define expert systems of computer.
Computers that involve artificial intelligence are also called expert systems of computer.
11. What are microprocessors? How have they benefited modern computers?
Ans: Microprocessor, any of a type of miniature electronic device that contains the arithmetic,
logic, and control circuitry necessary to perform the functions of a digital computer's central
processing unit.
There is a lot of projects and researched on various components used in our day-to-day lives, and have
reached to a conclusion that in today’s world microprocessor is everywhere. Systems run on
microprocessors have changed our lives extensively by making it easier. The introduction of
microprocessors in our everyday life has changed the way people work, travel and communicate.
12. Write any two limitations of the first generation computers.
Ans: Very large in size, small internal storage, slow speed.
High power consumption
13. Mention any two features of the second generation computers.
Ans: Smaller, faster and cheaper
Contained many components associated with modern day computers-printer, memory storage, operating
system etc.

MATHS SOLUTION POINT

 Section-B (MCQ)
1. Which of the following is an example of a supercomputer?
a) CRAY CS300 b) IBM 1401 c) RCA 501 d) None of these
2. Mark 1 was designed by
a) John Presper Eckert b) Howard H. Aiken c) M. Wilkes d) None of these
3. The first electronic computer that used stored programs
a) EDSAC b) ENIAC c) EDVAC d) None of these
4. The UNIVAC 1 was developed in the year
a) 1951 b) 1941 c) 1931 d) None of these
5. The third generation computers used
a) Microprocessor b) Vacuum tubes c) Integrated Circuits d) None of these
6. The first mechanical computer was invented by
a) Blasie Pascal b) Johan Napier c) Charles Babbage d) None of these

7. The first fully automatic computer was

a) ENIAC b) EDVAC c)EDSAC d) None of these
8. Charles Babbage invented
a) Differnce Engine b) Analyticle Engine c) Both (a)and (b) d) None of these
9. A microprocessor was used for the first time in the _____________ generation computers.
a) Second b) Third c) Fourth d) First
10. The ___________ was the first commercially available computer.
a) ENIAC b) UNIVAC 1 c) EDSAC d) None of these

Section C (Fill in the blank)

Fill in the blanks with the correct words. MATHS SOLUTION POINT
Vacuum Tubes, Second, Fifth , Transistors,
Abacus
1. The _____________ was probably the first calculating device.
2. The first generation computers used ______________ as their main component.
3. In the second generation computers, the ______________ were used for the first time.
4. The COBOL language came into used in the ______________ generation computers.
5. ______________ generation computing also involves artificial intelligence.

Section D (True/ False)

1. Learning calculations using an abacus is believed to improve concentration and memory skills.
2. The second generation computers were bigger in size than the first generation computers.
3. The IBM 360 series is an example of the third generation computers.
4. The keyboard and the monitor were first used in the second generation computers.
5. Computers lack the ability to make decisions.

MATHS SOLUTION POINT