Chapter 3 - Hardware and software. After studying this chapter you will be able to: Describe the six major categories of hardware and provide an example of each, identify the different computer categories and explain their potential business uses, explain the difference between primary and secondary storage,. | BUSINESS PLUG-IN B3 Hardware and Software LEARNING OUTCOMES Describe the six major categories of hardware and provide an example of each Identify the different computer categories and explain their potential business uses Explain the difference between primary and secondary storage LEARNING OUTCOMES List the common input, output, storage, and communication devices Describe the eight categories of computers by size Define the relationship between operating system software and utility software INTRODUCTION Information technology (IT) - any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the information and information-processing needs of an organization Hardware - consists of the physical devices associated with a computer system Software - the set of instructions that the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks Hardware Basics Computer - an electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory that can . | BUSINESS PLUG-IN B3 Hardware and Software LEARNING OUTCOMES Describe the six major categories of hardware and provide an example of each Identify the different computer categories and explain their potential business uses Explain the difference between primary and secondary storage LEARNING OUTCOMES List the common input, output, storage, and communication devices Describe the eight categories of computers by size Define the relationship between operating system software and utility software INTRODUCTION Information technology (IT) - any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the information and information-processing needs of an organization Hardware - consists of the physical devices associated with a computer system Software - the set of instructions that the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks Hardware Basics Computer - an electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory that can accept, manipulate, and store data Hardware components Central processing unit (CPU) Primary storage Secondary storage Input device Output device Communication device Hardware Basics Central Processing Unit Central processing unit (CPU) (or microprocessor) - the actual hardware that interprets and executes the program (software) instructions and coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together Control unit - interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware devices what to do, based on the software instructions Arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) - performs all arithmetic operations (for example, addition and subtraction) and all logic operations (such as sorting and comparing numbers) Central Processing Unit The number of CPU cycles per second determines the speed of a CPU Megahertz (MHz) - the number of millions of CPU cycles per second Gigahertz (GHz) - the number of billions of CPU cycles per second Central Processing Unit CPU speed factors .
