Aishah Mathis
Thomas Edison State College
COS-101-OL011
Sanjiv Behl
February 13, 2012

Chapter 1 1. What is the most important difference between a computer and a calculator? [RQ, no. 2]Human err and “the tables they produced were riddled with mistakes.” 2. How are computers today similar to those from World War II? How are they different? [RQ, no. 3]Reliability, Size, Speed, and Efficiency. “Computers has involved from massive, expensive, under-dependable calculators into dependable, versatile machines that have worked there was into modern society.” 3. The way people use the Internet has changed since the early days. How? [RQ, no. 4]Originally, access wasn’t available for anyone to use. You must have been in the field of academics, a researcher, or a government official. Now, it is widely used by anyone regardless of their professional or personal background or field of work/study. 4. What types of computers typically employ timesharing? [RQ, no. 7] A mainframe computer and super computers are typically the type of computer that employs timesharing.Chapter 2 5. Draw a block diagram showing the major components of a computer and their relationships. Briefly describe the function of each component. [RQ, no. 3]CPU – is the computer’s brain, which processes the information, performs calculations, and makes basic decisions by comparing values. It performs the transformation of input to output.Storage – serve as long-term repositories for dataInput Device – accept input from the outside worldOutput Device – send information to the outside worldMemory – used to store programs/data to be instantly available 6. Why is the international computer industry shifting from ASCII to Unicode for representing text? [RQ, no. 4]Because the 256 unique characters are not enough to accommodate foreign languages; like Chinese, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Arabic, etc. 7. Why is information stored in some kind of binary format in computers? [RQ, no. 5] The information is stored in some kind of binary format, to denote all number with combinations of two-digits.Chapter 3 8. List five input devices and three output devices that might be attached to a PC. Describe a typical use for each. [RQ, no. 1] Input Devices: * Keyboard – is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches. Allows you to type characters, both data and numeric. * Mouse – a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. * Thumb Drive – is a storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated USB interface. It’s a device that allows you to store files. * Game Controller – is a device used with games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game, typically to control an object or character in the game. * Web Cam – is a video camera that feeds its image in real time to a computer. Allows one to see and record images. Output Devices: * Printer – a printer is a peripheral which produces a text or graphics of document stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Allows you to print documents. * Speakers – is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Allows you to hear sound. * Monitor – is an electronic visual display for a computer. Allow you to view data, images, etc., on a screen. 9. Name and describe three special-purpose input devices people commonly use in public places, such as stores, banks, and libraries. [RQ, no. 4] * Touch screens – sometimes used at information kiosks * Bar Code Reader – used to scan barcodes on products * Magnetic Strip Readers – used to read information encoded on credit cards 10. What are the advantages of nonimpact printers, such as laser printers, over impact printers? Are there any disadvantages? [RQ, no. 7] The advantages of non-impact printers, such as laser printers; are quite and print high-quality documents. They also quickly print numerous pages, the speed, durability, reliability allows for sharing among PCs in an office environment. Older computers include line printer and dot matrix printer; which only shares one common characteristics. Chapter 4 11. What is the relationship between higher level languages and machine language? [RQ, no. 1]They both process in a type of “machine language”. Earlier programmers were forced to write programs in a machine language. Today’s programmers use a complier to translate the high-level language into machine language. 12. Most computer software falls into one of three categories: compilers and other translator programs, software applications, and system software. Describe and give examples of each [RQ, no. 2] * Compliers and other translator programs – enables programmers to create other software * Software applications – serves as productivity tools to help computer users solve problems * System software – coordinates hardware operations and does behind-the-scenes work the computer user seldom see 13. Write an algorithm for doing a load of laundry. Check your algorithm carefully for errors and ambiguities. [RQ, no. 4Aishah’s Lux Laundry 1. First sort dirty laundry a. Create separate piles one for whites and one for colors. If you mix whites with colors in the wash, the colors may bleed onto and ruin your whites. Also separate clothes that tend to produce lint (towels, sweatshirts, chenille and flannel) from clothes that tend to attract lint (corduroy, velvets and permanent-press clothes). 2. Pre-treat heavy stains with either laundry detergent or a type of stain remover 3. Dispense the allocated amount of laundry detergent into the dispenser and add fabric softener and bleach if you choose 4. Select your water level, and water temperature based off your clothing labels for washing (hot, warm or cold). 5. Start the wash and add clothes 6. Once load had washed, prepare for dryer 7. Select appropriate drying temperature for your load based on label instruction b. The label may indicate low for delicates, medium for majority fabrics, and possible high for cotton. c. Load clothes d. Set timing e. Turn on dryer 8. When the dryer stops, check to see if dry. f. If dry, remove and fold load g. If not dry, keep in and rest timer 14. What is a graphical user interface? How does it differ from a character-based interface? What are the advantages of each? [RQ, no. 8] Graphical user interface is computer interfaces that uses graphics, while a Character-based interface, is a user interface based on characters rather than graphic. The advantages of a graphical interface allow users to access visual elements of a computer. The advantage of a Character-based interface, allows the end-user to input/output data. | | | | | |