Journey Inside a Computer Unit 2

Information Processing

When completing the worksheet remember to use part of the question in the answer.

Input Devices

1. What four functions of the computer are considered the Information Processing
Cycle?
Input, processing, output and storage are the four functions of the computer.

2. What is the purpose of programs?
The purpose of the programs is that it keeps the computer running without
these programs the computer would not work.

3. Which input device is the most popular?
Bonus: Do you know the first name of this device?
The keyboard is the input device that is most popular. The first name of this device is the
typewriter.

4. What does the acronym OCR represent? Which device uses this?
The acronym OCR represents Optical Character Recognition. The scanner is used with this.

5. What is POS terminal? What are the advantages of using this terminal?
POS is Point-Of-Sale terminal is an example of a special purpose terminal. These have
replaced the old cash registers in nearly all retail stores. The advantages of using this terminal
are they can update inventory while calculating the sale. They often have special purpose keys.
For example, many restaurants have separate touchpads for each food item available.

6. Define multimedia.
Multimedia is a combination of sound and images with text and graphics.

What is the goal of data automation? Identify three general automation devices.
The goal of data automation is to avoid making mistakes and avoid having to re-enter the
data. Three general automation devices are the scanner, bar-code scanner and credit card
reader.
7. Explain what is meant by GIGO. Why is this important to input?
GIGO is Garbage In, Garbage Out. This is important to input because conclusions are no
better than the data they are based on.
Complete the Input Quiz how did you do? 6/10


Processing

8. What is processing defined as?
Processing is the thinking the computer does.

9. What does it mean to be digital? Explain bit, byte
To be digital it means all info is stored as a string of zeros or ones - off or on.
1 bit = one on or off position 1 byte = 8 bits

10. What is the function of the CPU? What does it consist of?
Central Processing Unit, is the part of the computer where work gets done.

11. What is the function of Main Memory? What does it consist of?
The main memory stores the commands that the CPU executes and the results

12. Explain each of the processes of the machine cycle.
Fetch - get an instruction from Main Memory
Decode - translate it into computer commands
Execute - actually process the command
Store - write the result to Main Memory

13. Explain each of the factors that impact the speed of the processor.
System clock rate = rate of an electronic pulse used to synchronize processing

Bus width= the amount of data the CPU can transmit at a time to main memory and to input
and output devices.

Word size= a word is the amount of data the CPU can process at one time
Complete the Input Quiz how did you do? 4/10

Output

14. What is output defined as? What types can it be?
Output is data that has been processed into useful form, now called
information. Output can be a hard copy of a soft copy.

15. Identify four things you would consider in purchasing a printer.
Four things I would consider in purchasing a printer is how fast it is, what paper
type, what print quality, and what will it print.

16. What is an LCD screen? Explain the use of RGB.
LCD screens are very flat and thin. The RBG can make other colures by
combining the 3 colures together.

Complete the Input Quiz how did you do? 7/10

Storage

17. What is storage defined as? Explain the difference between primary and
secondary.
Storage refers to the media and methods used to keep information available
for later use. The primary keeps track of what is currently being processed, and
the secondary holds what is not currently being processed.

18. What is currently considered the best format for removable storage?
Nonvolatile is currently considered the best format for removable storage.

19. Identify three ways to protect your stored data.

Three ways to protect your stored data is backing it up, write protect, and anti-
malware.
Complete the Input Quiz how did you do? 7/10