ICT YR7 & 8

UNIT 1 – UNDER THE HOOD OF A COMPUTER

COMPUTER
How does it get its name?
• Compute is derived from ‘computare’ (latin) for count/sum up – to carry out
mathematical calculation
• Exp: computing/performing/carry out a mathematical calculations
• Mathematicians have spent centuries inventing tools for calculations
TOOLS MATHEMATICIANS INVENTED

The Ishango Bone An astrolabe

(22000 years ago) (150 B.C.)
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=YTNRS2NYQEM

Abacus ( 1300 A.D.) The Analytical Engine

(1837)
EARLY COMPUTERS

• The first general purpose

programmable electronic computer
was the Electronic Numerical
Integrator and Computer (ENIAC),
built by J. Presper Eckert and John V.
Mauchly at the University of
Pennsylvania.
MODERN COMPUTER –UNDER THE HOOD
COMPONENTS - OUTSIDE

Keyboard Mouse Speakers

Digital camera Display device Microphone Headphone

COMPONENTS - INSIDE

CPU RAM Power supply Motherboard

Hard disk drive Graphic card Sound card Fan unit

RASPBERRY Pi

• The Raspberry Pi is a series of

small single-board
computers developed in
the United Kingdom
• to promote the teaching of
basic computer science in schools
and in developing countries.
CATEGORIES FOR COMPUTER PARTS
KEY TERMS MEANING

Input devices Enables user to ‘input’ data into computer

Memory Computer keeps data, software applications and results of processing carried
out for short term. Memory is lost when computer is turned off

Storage device Where computer stores files that have been created, as well as software
installed for long term

Processor Part that processes data according to instructions given. Provides user with
information

Output device Enable user to receive info from a computer

INPUT DEVICES
OUTPUT DEVICE

• Enable user to receive info

from a computer
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
(CPU)

• Described as the computers ‘brain’

• Consist of a single integrated circuit
(chip)
 CPU has to be told The result of
what to do with data. processing is sent
Instruction comes to output device
from software (monitor).
applications/
computer programs

CPU data is input

using keyboard and
it is stored in
computers
memory
 CODE BREAKERS
01 02 03 04 05
Two famous code This were used to A computer named Colossus could read The Manchester baby
breakers were used break codes and COLOSSUS was built to 5000 characters per was produced shortly
during world war 2 – encipher messages speed up code second after the war as the 1st
the ENIGMA & the from enemies breaking calculations programmable
LORENZ machine computer
THE MANCHESTER
BABY

• world's first stored program

computer (1948)
DECIMAL NUMBER
SYSTEM

• Decimals – uses 10 digits, 0 to 9

• Binary – uses only 2 digits, 0 and 1
• Computers use the binary system where 1
represents high voltage and 0 represents low
voltage
• Anything processed in computers must be
converted to a binary code or series of 1s
and 0s
BITS AND BITES
• Computers use electrical circuits to
process data
• A bit – one binary digit
• For example alphabet a is represented
by 8 bits
• Byte – a string of bits ( 10010101 – 8
bits) = 1 byte
FROM BINARY TO
INFORMATION
• In electronic computers all data items
are processed in BINARY
• For any input data the computer will
convert it into binary (1s and 0s) so it
can be processed
• The binary outputs are converted
back into something the user can
understand such as text and pictures