Informatics Engineering Terms Vocabulary

Here are informatics engineering terms the most commonly used:

2 Million The number of Kilobytes in 2 Gigabytes.

00001010 Binary Code for 10

00001111 Binary code for 15

00010000 Binary Code for 32

00010011 Binary code for 19

00010101 Binary Code for 21

Algorithm A procedure or formula for solving a problem, based on

conducting a sequence of specified actions.

American Standard Text files that you read and write are actually stored, loaded
Code for Information into memory, and manipulated by computers as a sequence
Interchange. of numbers. When the computer displays the data on screen
as text, it changes the numbers into characters so that
humans can understand it. This is done using a code for
representing 128 English characters as numbers, with each
letter assigned a number from 0 to 127
Analog Conveys data as electronic signals of varying frequency or
amplitude that are added to carrier waves of a given
frequency.

Analytical Approach The use of an appropriate process to break a problem down

into the smaller pieces necessary to solve it.

Antivirus Software Software designed to detect and destroy computer viruses

ASCII The form in which text characters are handled in most

computer systems and networks.

Bandwidth The difference between the upper and lower frequencies in a

continuous set of frequencies. It is typically measured in hertz
and is one of the determinants of the capacity of a given
communication channel.
Binary Code A simple code that computers use to send and receive data
 made from electrical signals and represented by 1s and 0s.

Bluetooth Specification that allows mobile phones, computers, and

PDAs to be connected wirelessly over short ranges.

Broadband A communications medium on which multiple signals are

simultaneously transmitted at different frequencies. Also
refers to switching capability implemented on this medium
that allows communication between devices connected to it.
In telecommunications it is defined as any channel with a
bandwidth greater than voice grade (4 KHz).

Byte An 8-bit word

CD-ROM Compact Disk-Read Only Memory

Central Processing The part of a computer in which operations are controlled and
Unit (CPU) executed, located on the motherboard.

Cipher A secret or disguised way of writing; a code.

Computer A device or system that is capable of carrying out a sequence

of operations in a distinctly and explicitly defined manner.

Cyber A prefix that means "computer" or "computer network"

Cyber security Measures taken to protect a computer or computer system

against unauthorized access or attack.

Data Raw, unorganized facts that need to be processed. It can be

something simple and apparently random and useless until it
is organized.

Decoder Device that translates the encoded message into an

understandable form.

Destination The person or machine that receives the decoded message.

Download The transfer of information from a remote computer system to

the user's system.
Encoder Device that changes the message into another form for
transmission.

Encryption A process of encoding messages to keep them secret, so

only "authorized" parties can read it.
Fiber-Optics Refers to the medium and the technology associated with the
transmission of information as light pulses along a glass or
plastic strand or fiber.

Firewall Limits the data that can pass through it and protects a
networked server or client machine from damage by
unauthorized users.

Firmware A software program or set of instructions programmed on a

hardware device. It provides the necessary instructions for
how the device communicates with the other computer
hardware.

Flash Drive A small data storage device that uses flash memory and has
a built-in USB connection
GPS A network of 24 orbiting satellites used primarily for precise
navigation. Three satellites "triangulate" an object and
determine its exact location using the global positioning
system.

Graphics Processing Used primarily for computing 3D functions.

Unit (GPU)

Hard Drive Storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly
rotating rigid disks with magnetic surfaces. The device is
either permanently installed within the computer case or can
be portable

Hardware Physical elements of a computing systems (printer, circuit

boards, wires, keyboard, etc)

HDMI Provides a digital interface for transmitting audio and video

data in a single cable. It is supported by most HDTVs and
related components, such as DVD and Blu-ray players, cable
boxes, and video game systems. It is an acronym for High-
Definition Multimedia Interface.

Hertz A unit of frequency (of change in state or cycle in a sound

wave, alternating current, or other cyclical waveform) of one
cycle per second. It replaces the earlier term of "cycle per
second (cps)."

HTML An abbreviation of the language that webpages are written in.

Also known as hypertext documents, webpages must
conform to the rules of this language in order to be displayed
correctly in a web browser. This syntax is based on a list of
 tags that describe the page's format and what is displayed on
the webpage.

HTTP The protocol used to transfer data over the World Wide Web.
All website addresses begin with this. It stands for Hyper-Text
Transfer Protocol.

hypertext Text that links to other information.

Information Data that is processed, organized, structured, or presented in

a context so as to make it useful.

Information Computer-based technology used for storing and processing

Technology information

Infrared On the electromagnetic radiation spectrum, a wavelength just

below that of the red end of the visible light spectrum but less
than that of microwaves, with a wavelength from about 800
nm to 1 mm, and is emitted particularly by heated objects.
Input Device Device used to insert data into a computer or other device
(ex: keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner, voice
recognition)

Logarithm A quantity representing the power to which a fixed number

(the base) must be raised to produce a given number.

Macro Recording a series of keystrokes.

Malware Software programs designed to damage or do other

unwanted actions on a computer system. Refers to "malicious
software" and includes viruses, worms, trojan horses, and
spyware.

Medium The wired or wireless means used to send information.

Microcomputer Any computer using a microprocessor as its central

processing unit
Microwaves An electromagnetic wave with a wavelength in the range
0.001-0.3 m, shorter than that of a normal radio wave but
longer than those of infrared radiation. Used in radar, in
communications, for heating food, and in various industrial
processes.

Modulate To change the amplitude or frequency of waves.

Modum Modulates outgoing digital signals from a computer or other

 digital device to analog signals for a conventional copper
twisted pair telephone line and demodulates the incoming
analog signal and converts it to a digital signal for the digital
device.

Monitor Displays images and text on the screen.

Motherboard A printed circuit board containing the principal components of

a computer or other device, with connectors into which other
circuit boards can be slotted.

Network When two or more computers connected to each other, you

have a network, with the purpose of sharing files and
information between multiple systems. The Internet could be
described as a global example of this.

One Billion Number of bytes in a Gigabyte

One Million Number of bytes in a Megabyte

One Thousand Number of bytes in a Kilobyte

Operating System Software used to control the computer and its peripheral
(OS) equipment.

Output Device Device that projects images, gives sound, and basically gives
out the info from the computer so the user can obtain it (ex:
monitor, printer, projector, speakers)

Power Supply A device that provides electricity to a computer.

Program A specific set of ordered operations for a computer to

perform.

Protocols Computer languages which is used to transmit information

over the Internet.
RAM A temporary place to store material that works quickly.
Random Access Memory is erased when computer turns off.

Receiver The device that accepts the encoded information and relays it
to the decoder.

RFID tags Microchips equipped with radio transmitters. Radio frequency

identification tags can be attached or embedded in order to
track locations or store information for a wide range of
applications.
Router A type of computer that forwards data across a network.

Server A computer that serves up information to other computers on

a network

Software General term that describes computer programs. It is virtual,

not physical like computer hardware, and is essentially data
and information.

Source The person or machine that has a message to be delivered.

Syntax Each computer programming language uses a different

syntax. In computer programming languages, this serves the
same purpose, defining how declarations, functions,
commands, and other statements should be arranged.

Transistor A semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic

signals and electrical power, and is the fundamental building
block of modern electronic devices.

Transmitter Device that sends the encoded message toward its

destination.

Triangulation The method of using three satellites to determine the exact

location of an object.

Upload To transfer information from a user's system to a remote

system.

Video Graphics Array Cable and connector that carries analog component RGBHV
(VGA) (red, green, blue, horizontal sync, vertical sync) video signals,
and VESA Display Data Channel (VESA DDC) data.

Virtual A resource available on the internet or on software; not

physical.