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Module 1 - Lecture 1

This document provides an introduction to computing and defines key concepts. It discusses how computers accept data as input, process it according to instructions to produce output known as information. Computers can be classified based on their size, purpose, and whether they use analog, digital or hybrid signals. Characteristics include speed, accuracy, storage and automation.

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13 views

Module 1 - Lecture 1

This document provides an introduction to computing and defines key concepts. It discusses how computers accept data as input, process it according to instructions to produce output known as information. Computers can be classified based on their size, purpose, and whether they use analog, digital or hybrid signals. Characteristics include speed, accuracy, storage and automation.

Uploaded by

6jpsdpd4vp
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© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AMS103

INTRODUCTION TO
COMPUTING
Module 1
The Computer System
Lecture 1 Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, student should be able to:
Define a computer
Identify the characteristics of a Computer
Know the different classes of Computer
Understand the different type of computer based on signal type, size
and purpose
The information that is obtained can be further shared
(communication) or stored for future use (storage).
Definition of a Computer (1)
A computer can be defined as an electronic machine that accepts data
(raw fact and figures) as its input, processes them based on a predefined
instruction to give us an output, this output is called information.
The information that is obtained can be further shared (communication)
or stored for future use (storage).

Figure 1 Schematic flow of a Computer


Definition of a Computer (2)
 Data: This refers to facts about a person, object, or place e.g. name,
address, favourite colour, etc.
 Information: This is the result the processing of data, meaningful
sentence e.g. gender distribution of a class, percentage of students that
passed an exam, etc.
Characteristics of Computer
Some of the important characteristics of computer are shown in the
diagram below:

Speed Accuracy Diligence Versatility

Characteristics of a Computer

Non-
Storage Automation Processing
Intelligence
Classification of Computer (1)
Classification of Computer (2)
Classification based on Signal Type

There are 3 types of computers in this category and they are:


Classification of Computer (3)
 Analog computers make use of continuously changeable aspects of
physical phenomena such as electrical, mechanical, etc to create a
model of the problem to be solved.
 They can have an extremely wide scope of intricacy.
 Examples
telephone lines
Speedometer
 resistance of capacitor
 frequency of signal and voltage etc.
Classification of Computer (4)
 Digital computers represent their variable in the form of digits 0 and 1.
 All data dealt with are converted into binary form on input to the
computer.
 Data undergoes a processing after which the binary digits are converted
back to alpha numeric form for output for human use.
 Examples
IBM PC
Apple Macintosh
Modern smartphones
Classification of Computer (5)
 Hybrid computers show highlights of analogue and digital computers.
 Digital aspect part regularly fills in as the controller and gives consistent
and numerical activities
 Analog segment frequently fills in as a solver of differential conditions
and other scientifically complex conditions.
 Generally used for scientific application, airplanes, ships, hospital, and
controlling the industrial processes.
Examples: Electrocardiogram, ultrasound, Echocardiogram, CT scan
machines, etc.
Classification of Computer (6)
 Classification of computer based on its size are:
Classification of Computer (7)
Microcomputers:
 The least expensive among the other three kinds of computers
 intended for universally useful utilization for life diversion, training, and
work purposes
Examples
Desktops, laptops, gaming consoles
sound and GPS navigation of a vehicle
 Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
 Tablets and smartphones
Classification of Computer (8)
Minicomputers:
 more impressive and powerful PCs than microcomputers
 for the most part multi-client frameworks
 numerous clients access the system at the same time
 have more storage capacity and larger processing memory
Classification of Computer (9)
Mainframe Computers:
 Designed to handle huge volumes of data
 Typically support more than 100 concurrent users at the same time
 Large, expensive with great processing speed and very large storage
capacity
 Multi-user and multiprocessor computers
 Need very sophisticated operating systems to control and supervise
their operation.
Classification of Computer (10)
Supercomputers:
 most powerful computers among digital computers
 Consist of massively-parallel processors running together thus making
them immensely faster and powerful
 Handle large amount of calculations that are well beyond the
capabilities of human
 Often very large, often spanning an entire building and generate a high
amount of heat
 Normally used in large research labs and for high end simulations
Classification of Computer (11)
Classification based on Purpose
 Here we have two types of computers as shown below
Classification of Computer (12)
Special Purpose Computers:
 Developed to perform certain predefined tasks
 Cannot do any other thing aside the task they’re designed to perform. E.g.
digital wristwatch
General Purpose Computers:
 Designed to perform a wide variety of tasks
 Their functionality can be extended from what was predefined by the
manufacturer of the computer
Example mobile phones
can download Xender and other applications thus performing functions not
outlined at the point of selling it
Summary of Lecture 1
In this module, you have learnt that Computers have:
 several definitions depending on the view of the person defining but one
thing is consistency
 Ability to accept raw undefined data of varying types;
 Process them electronically based on some predefined instruction
designed by the system’s programmer;
 Convert it to meaningful information, which can be subjected to further
processing;

 There are at least 3 ways of classifying or viewing a computer and they


are according to:
Size, Purpose and Signal type

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