McGraw-Hill Technology Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

All
McGraw-Hill Technology Education Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All
 Chapter 5A

Transforming Data Into

Information

McGraw-Hill Technology Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All

 How Computers Represent Data
• Number systems
– A manner of counting
– Several different number systems exist
• Decimal number system
– Used by humans to count
– Contains ten distinct digits
– Digits combine to make larger numbers

5A-3
 How Computers Represent Data
• Binary number system
– Used by computers to count
– Two distinct digits, 0 and 1
– 0 and 1 combine to make numbers

5A-4
 How Computers Represent Data
• Bits and bytes
– Binary numbers are made of bits
– Bit represents a switch
– A byte is 8 bits
– Byte represents one character

5A-5
 How Computers Represent Data
• Text codes
– Converts letters into binary
– Standard codes necessary for data transfer
– Four popular text code systems invented:
– EBCDIC
• 8-bit code, defines 256 symbols
• Still used in IBM Mainframe and midrange comp.
– ASCII
• American English symbols
• 8-bit code, most commonly used.
• Defines 128 ASCII codes (0 through 127)
• ASCII: 48 ( for 0), 65 (for A), 97 (for a)
5A-6
 How Computers Represent Data
• Text codes
– Extended ASCII
• Graphics and other symbols
• 8-bit code (128 through 255)
• First 40 symbols: pronunciation and punctuation
• Remaining are used for graphic symbols.
– Unicode
• All languages on the planet
• 4 bytes (32 bits)
• 4 billion different symbols or characters.
• First 256 codes are same as in ASCII and
5A-7
Extended ASCII.
 How Computers Process Data
• Two components handle processing:
– CPU & Memory
• The CPU
– Central Processing Unit
– Brain of the computer
– Every CPU has 2 basic components.

1. Control unit: logical hub.

• Controls resources in computer, directs flow of data
• Instruction set

2. Arithmetic logic unit

• Simple math operations: arithmetic & logical operations
• Registers: High speed memory locations
5A-8
 How Computers Process Data
• Machine cycles
– Steps by CPU to process data
– Divided into two smaller cycles
1. Instruction cycle
• CPU gets the instruction (fetches and decodes)
• A. Fetching: CU retrieves command or data
from memory
• B. Decoding: CU decodes command into
instructions that correspond to those in CPU
instruction set.

5A-9
 How Computers Process Data
• Machine cycles
2. Execution cycle
• CPU performs the instruction (execution &
storing)
• A. Execution: carries out instruction and
converts into microcode (that tells the CPU how
to execute instruction).
• B. Storing: sometimes, it may be required for
CPU to store the result (but not mandatory).

5A-10
 How Computers Process Data
– CPU Performance measured in:
• MIPS or Billions of cycles per second (BIPS)
– Pipelining processes more data: (upto 20
instructions can be simultaneously processed).
– Multitasking allows multiple instructions:
• Tasks for more than one programs are
performed.
• Using threads.

5A-11
 How Computers Process Data
• Memory
– Stores open programs and data
– Small chips on the motherboard
– More memory makes a computer faster

5A-12
 How Computers Process Data
• Nonvolatile memory
– Holds data when power is off
– Read Only Memory (ROM)
– Basic Input Output System (BIOS)
• BIOS contains Power On Self Test (POST)
routine:
• POST: To ensure that system is functioning
properly and all expected hardware devices are
present.

5A-13
 How Computers Process Data
• Flash memory
– Data is stored using physical switches
– Special form of nonvolatile memory
– Camera cards, USB key chains

5A-14
 How Computers Process Data
• Volatile memory
– Requires power to hold data
– Random Access Memory (RAM)
– Data in RAM has an address
– CPU reads data using the address
– CPU can read any address

5A-15
 Components affecting Speed

5A-16
 Affecting Processing Speed
• Registers
– Number of bits processor can handle
– Word size: Size of registers
• Amount of data with which computer can work
at any given time.
– Larger indicates more powerful computer
– Increase by purchasing new CPU
– 64-bit computer or processor (refers to the
size of the registers in processor).

5A-17
 Affecting Processing Speed
• Virtual RAM
– Computer is out of actual RAM
– File that emulates RAM
– Computer swaps data to virtual RAM
• Least recently used data is moved

5A-18
 Affecting Processing Speed
• The computer’s internal clock
– Quartz crystal
– Every tick causes a cycle
– Speeds measured in Hertz (Hz)
• Modern machines use Giga Hertz (GHz)

5A-19
 Affecting Processing Speed
• The bus
– Electronic pathway between components
– Expansion bus connects to peripherals
– System bus connects CPU and RAM
– Bus width is measured in bits
– Speed is tied to the clock

5A-20
 Affecting Processing Speed
• External bus standards
– Industry Standard Architecture (ISA)
– Local bus
– Peripheral control interface
– Accelerated graphics port
– Universal serial bus
– IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
– PC Card

5A-21
 Affecting Processing Speed
• Peripheral control interface (PCI)
– Connects modems and sound cards
– Found in most modern computers

5A-22
 Affecting Processing Speed
• Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
– Connects video card to motherboard
– Extremely fast bus
– Found in all modern computers

5A-23
 Affecting Processing Speed
• Universal Serial Bus (USB)
– Connects external devices
– Hot swappable
– Allows up to 127 devices
– Cameras, printers, and scanners

5A-24
 Affecting Processing Speed
• PC Card
– Used on laptops
– Hot swappable
– Devices are the size of a credit card

5A-25
 Affecting Processing Speed
• Cache memory
– Very fast memory
– Holds common or recently used data
– Speeds up computer processing
– Most computers have several caches
– L1 holds recently used data
– L2 holds upcoming data
– L3 holds possible upcoming data

5A-26
 Chapter 5A

End of Chapter

McGraw-Hill Technology Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All