PROGRAMMING 12

Quarter 1 Week 1
Performing Computer Operations

Introduction to Computers

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Define the term computer and discuss the four basic computer operations: input,
process, output, and storage
2. Define data and information
3. Identify the differences among desktop computers, notebook computers, and mobile
devices

What Is a Computer?
Computers are everywhere: at work, at school, and at home. In the workplace,
employees use computers to create correspondence such as e-mail messages, memos,
and letters; manage calendars; calculate payroll; track inventory; and generate invoices.
At school, teachers use computers to assist with classroom instruction. Students use
computers to complete assignments and research. People also spend hours of leisure
time using a computer. They play games, communicate with friends and relatives online
and using e-mail, purchase goods online, converse in chat rooms, listen to music or
radio broadcasts, watch or create videos and movies, read books and magazines, share
stories, research genealogy, retouch photos, and plan vacations. At work, at school,
and at home, computers are helping people do their work faster, more
ccurhttp://web.cse.ohio-state.edu/cse1111ately, and in some cases, in ways that
previously would not have been possible.
A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in
its own memory, that can accept data (input), process the data according to specified
rules (process), produce results (output), and store the results (storage) for future use.

Computers perform four basic operations — input, process, output, and storage.
These operations comprise the information processing cycle.

Characteristic of a Computer
A computer derives its power from its capability to perform the information processing
cycle with amazing speed, reliability (low failure rate), and accuracy; its capacity to store
huge amounts of data and information; and its capability to communicate with other
computers.
For a computer to perform operations, it must be given a detailed set of instructions that
tells it exactly what to do. These instructions are called a program, or software. Before
processing for a specific activity begins, the program corresponding to that activity is
stored in the computer.

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Once the program is stored, the computer can begin to execute the program’s first
instruction. The computer executes one program instruction after another until the
activity is complete.

Data and Information

All computer processing requires data. Data is a collection of unprocessed items, which
can include text, numbers, images, audio, and video. Computers manipulate data to
create information.
Information conveys meaning and is useful to people. During the output operation, the
information that has been created is put into some form, such as a printed report, or it
can be stored on the computer for future use.

The Components of a Computer

PROCESSOR
PROCESSOR

INSTRUCTIONS
DATA
INFORMATION

INPUT
INPUT OUTPUT
OUTPUT
DEVICES DATA MEMORY
MEMORY INFORMATION DEVICES
DEVICES
DEVICES

INSTRUCTIONS
DATA
INFORMATION

STORAGE
STORAGE DEVICES
DEVICES

Activity 1

1. Define a computer

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 2. What are the uses of computers in the following fields? Write your answers inside
the circle

education

medicine home

Uses of
Computer

government business

3. What are 4 basic operations of a computer

Activity 2

4. Data vs. Information

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 Data Information

Definition Definition

Example Example

5. Draw the components of the computer

Rubric: Correctness – 5pts, Neatness- 3pts, Attractiveness- 2pts

Personal Computers and Mobile Devices

A personal computer is a computer that can perform all of its input, processing, output,
and storage activities by itself. A personal computer contains a processor, memory, and
one or more input, output, and storage devices. Personal computers also often contain
a communications device.
A mobile computer is a personal computer you can carry from place to place.
Similarly, a mobile device is a computing device small enough to hold in your hand. The
most popular type of mobile computer is the notebook computer.

Desktop Computers

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A desktop computer is designed so that the system unit, input devices, output devices,
and any other devices fit entirely on or under a desk or table (Figure 4). In some
models, the monitor sits on top of the system unit, which is placed on the desk. The
more popular style of system unit is the tall and narrow tower, which can sit on the floor
vertically.
Notebook Computers
A notebook computer, also called a laptop computer, is a portable, personal computer
often designed to fit on your lap (Figure 5). These computers are thin
and lightweight, yet can be as powerful as the average desktop computer. A netbook,
which is a type of notebook computer, is smaller, lighter, and often not as powerful as a
traditional notebook computer. Resembling a letter-sized slate, the Tablet PC is a
special type of notebook computer that allows you to write or draw on the screen using
a digital pen.
Mobile Devices Mobile devices, which are small enough to carry in a pocket, usually
store programs and data permanently on memory inside the system unit or on small
storage media such as memory cards. You often can connect a mobile device to a
personal computer to exchange information. Three popular types of mobile devices are
smart phones, portable media players, and digital cameras.
A smart phone is a phone that can connect to the Internet and usually also provides
personal information management functions such as a calendar, an appointment book,
an address book, a calculator, and a notepad (Figure 6).
A portable media player is a mobile device on which you can store, organize, and play
digital media (shown in Figure 1 on page COM 2). For example, you can listen to music;
watch videos, movies, and television shows; and view photos on the device’s screen. A
digital camera is a device that allows users to take pictures and store the
photographed images digitally, instead of on traditional film (shown in Figure 1). Digital
cameras typically allow users to review, and sometimes modify, images while they are
in the camera.

Input Devices
An input device is any hardware component that allows you to enter data and
instructions into a computer. Depending on your program and requirements, the input
device you use may vary. Five widely used input devices are the keyboard, mouse,
microphone, scanner, and Web cam.
A keyboard is an input device that contains keys users press to enter data and
instructions into the computer.
A stylus is a small metal or plastic device that looks like a tiny ink pen but uses
pressure instead of ink. Some smart phones have one key for each letter of the
alphabet, often called a mini-keyboard. Other phones have keypads that contain fewer
keys than there are letters in the alphabet. For these phones, each key on the keypad
represents multiple characters, which are identified on the key.

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A mouse is a pointing device that fits comfortably under the palm of your hand. With a
mouse, users control the movement of the pointer, which is a small symbol on the
screen whose location and shape change as a user moves a pointing device.
Most notebook computers have a touchpad, a small, flat, rectangular pointing device
near the keyboard that allows you to move the pointer by sliding a fingertip on the
surface of the pad.
A scanner is an input device that scans documents such as photographs and pages of
text. When a document is scanned, it is converted into a digital format. This creates an
electronic version of the document that can be viewed and edited on a computer.
A joystick is an input device that can be used for controlling the movement of the
cursor or a pointer in a computer device. The pointer/cursor movement is controlled by
maneuvering a lever on the joystick. The input device is mostly used for gaming
applications and, sometimes, in graphics applications.
A webcam is a small digital video camera directly or indirectly connected to a computer
or a computer network.

The system unit is a case that contains electronic components of the computer used to
process data. System units are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. The case of
the system unit, also called the chassis, is made of metal or plastic and protects the
internal components from damage. The motherboard, sometimes called a system
board, is the main circuit board of the system unit.
Processor
The processor, also called the central processing unit (CPU), interprets and carries
out the basic instructions that operate a computer. Processors contain a control unit and
an arithmetic/logic unit. The control unit directs and coordinates most of the operations
in the computer. The arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic, comparison, and
other operations.

Memory consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to be

executed and data needed by those instructions. Most memory keeps data and
instructions temporarily, which means its contents are erased when the computer is
shut off. When discussing computer memory, users typically are referring to RAM. Also
called main memory, RAM (random access memory) consists of memory chips that
can be read from and written to by the processor and other devices.
The amount of memory in computers is measured in kilobytes, megabytes,
gigabytes, or terabytes. A byte usually stores one character, such as the letter A. One
kilobyte (KB or K) equals exactly 1,024 bytes, and one megabyte (MB) equals
approximately one million bytes. One gigabyte (GB) equals approximately one billion
bytes, and one terabyte (TB) equals approximately one trillion bytes. A computer with 4
GB of RAM, therefore, can store approximately four billion characters.

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Activity 3

Define the following.

1. personal computer
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2. mobile computer
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3. desktop computer
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4. laptop computer
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5. Mobile devices
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6. smart phone
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7. portable media player
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8. input device
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9. keyboard
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10. stylus
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11. mouse
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12. notebook computers
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13. scanner
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14. joystick

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 __________________________________________________________________
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15. system unit

16. webcam
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17. system unit
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18. processor
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19. control unit
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20. Memory
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RESOURCES
1. www.techopedia.com
2. https://www.slideshare.net/cupaydabu/occupational-health-and-safety-
procedures
3. https://www.explainingcomputers.com/dse.html
4. https://www.slideshare.net/joygracebagui/understanding-the-need-for-security-
measures?from_action=save

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