Chapter 1B - Looking inside the computer system. This lesson gives you a glimpse inside a standard desktop computer and introduces you to its most important parts. You will learn how these components work together and allow you to interact with the system. You also will discover the importance of software, without which a computer could do nothing. Finally, you will see that the user is (in most cases, at least) an essential part of a complete computer system. | McGraw-Hill Technology Education Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 1B Looking Inside the Computer System Parts of the Computer System Computer systems have four parts Hardware Software Data User 1B- Parts of the Computer System Hardware Mechanical devices in the computer Anything that can be touched Software Tell the computer what to do Also called a program Thousands of programs exist 1B- Teaching tip Suggest to your students that the majority of people who purchase computers do so because of software. They want to email, or type letters. Nearly every reason given to purchase a computer is based on software needs. Parts of the Computer System Data Pieces of information Computer organize and present data Users People operating the computer Most important part Tell the computer what to do 1B- Teaching tip A good exercise to relate the importance of making data meaningful is to list some random numbers on the board. Then ask what they mean. Without a title, the numbers have no meaning. Once a title is presented, the numbers make sense. Information Processing Cycle Steps followed to process data Input Processing Output Storage 1B- Teaching tip It is helpful to walk through a simple program to demonstrate the cycle. I often use a simple arithmetic problem to show this cycle. Essential Computer Hardware Computers use the same basic hardware Hardware categorized into four types 1B- Essential Computer Hardware Processing devices Brains of the computer Carries out instructions from the program Manipulate the data Most computers have several processors Central Processing Unit (CPU) Secondary processors Processors made of silicon and copper 1B- Teaching tip The interaction between a CPU and secondary processors is much like the interaction between a boss and subordinate. The boss tells the subordinate what to do but not necessarily how to accomplish the task. The subordinate only bothers the boss when . | McGraw-Hill Technology Education Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 1B Looking Inside the Computer System Parts of the Computer System Computer systems have four parts Hardware Software Data User 1B- Parts of the Computer System Hardware Mechanical devices in the computer Anything that can be touched Software Tell the computer what to do Also called a program Thousands of programs exist 1B- Teaching tip Suggest to your students that the majority of people who purchase computers do so because of software. They want to email, or type letters. Nearly every reason given to purchase a computer is based on software needs. Parts of the Computer System Data Pieces of information Computer organize and present data Users People operating the computer Most important part Tell the computer what to do 1B- Teaching tip A good exercise to relate the importance of making data meaningful is to list some random numbers on the board. Then ask .
