Pinkz Public School - CBSE

Computer Science – Chapter - 1 - Notes

Computer :

A computer is a programmable electronic device that accepts raw data as

input and processes it with a set of instructions ( a program ) to produce the

result as output . It renders output just after performing mathematical and

logical operations and can save the output for future use . It can process

numerical as well as non - numerical calculations .

The term " computer " is derived from the Latin word " computare " which

means to calculate . It is believed that the Analytical Engine was the first

computer which was invented by Charles Babbage in 1837. It used punch cards

as read - only memory . Charles Babbage is also known as the father of the

computer .

System :

A system is a group of interacting or interrelated elements that act

according to a set of rules to form a unified whole

 Transport systems

 Solar systems

 Ecological systems

Computer System :

A computer system is an integrated form of different components that

work together to give a desirable result .

It has different component and each works for a specific purpose ;

however , they generate a common result as required by the user .

 A computer along with additional hardware and software together is

called a computer system .

Hardware :

Computer hardware is a physical device of computers that we can see and

touch .Using these devices , we can control computer operations like input and

output . These hardware components are further divided into the following

categories , which are :

 Input Devices

 Output Devices

 Storage Devices

 Internal Components

Internal Components of Hardware :

 CPU

 Buses : Address bus , data bus , and control bus

 RAM

 Drive ( E.g. Blu - ray , CD - ROM , DVD , floppy drive , hard drive ,

and SSD ) .

 Sound card

 Network card

 Bluetooth card ( or adapter )

 Motherboard
  Expansion Slots

 Fan ( heat sink )

 Modem

 Power supply Unit.

Software :

In a computer system , the software is basically a set of instructions or

commands that tells a computer what to do . In other words , the software is a

computer program that provides a set of instructions to execute a user's

commands and tell the computer what to do .

Types of Computers :

Computer Type Description Peak Popularity

Analog Computers Mechanical computing devices of varying functions . 1950s - 1960s

Digital Computers Nearly all computers in operation today are digital . 1940s Present

Hybrid Computers A computer combining analog and digital qualities . 1960s 1980s

Quantum Computers Utilizes concepts from quantum physics . 1990s - Present

Mainframe Computers Large , powerful computers for bulk data processing. 1960s 1980s

Server Computers Provide additional functionality for other computers . 1990s - Present

Supercomputers The fastest digital computers on the planet . 1980s - Present

Minicomputers Smaller than mainframes yet larger than PCs . 1960s - 1970s
 Features of the Computer System :

 Computer system is programmable

 Computer accepts raw data and Produces information

 Computer system is a digital machine

Functions of the Computer System

 Program execution
 Accept data from Input device
 Store data and Program in memory
 Data processing
 Send output to Output device
 Control all operations
Fields of Application of the Computers :

The various applications of computers in today's arena -

1. Business

2. Education

3. Marketing

4. Banking

5. Insurance

6. Communication

7. Health Care

8. Military

9. Engineering Design

Evolution of Computers :

From the simple calculator to a modern day powerful data processor ,

computing devices have evolved in a relatively short span of time .

Abacus Napier's Leibnitz Pascaline Tabulating Difference Differential Turing Mark I
Bones wheel Machine Engine & Analyzer Machine
(500 BC) (1642) (1944)
(1617) (1673) (1890s) Analytical (1931) 1936-37
Engine
(1830s)
Abacus :

 Around 4000 years ago , the Chinese invented the Abacus , and it is

believed to be the first computer .

 The history of computers begins with the birth of the abacus .

 Structure : Abacus is basically a wooden rack that has metal rods with

beads mounted on them .

 Working of Abacus : In the abacus , the beads were moved by the abacus

operator according to some rules to perform arithmetic calculations . In

some countries like China , Russia , and Japan , the abacus is still used by

their people.

Napier's Bones :

Napier's Bones was a manually operated calculating device and as the name

indicates , it was invented by John Napier .

In this device , he used 9 different ivory strips ( bones ) marked with numbers

to multiply and divide for calculation .

It was also the first machine to use the decimal point system for calculation .

Pascaline :

 It is also called as an Arithmetic Machine or Adding Machine .

 A French mathematician - philosopher Blaise Pascal invented this between

1642 and 1644 .

 It was the first mechanical and automatic calculator .

 It is invented by Pascal to help his father , a tax accountant in his work or

calculation .

 It could perform addition and subtraction in quick time .

  It was basically a wooden box with a series of gears and wheels .

 It is worked by rotating wheel like when a wheel is rotated one revolution

, it rotates the neighboring wheel and a series of windows is given on the

top of the wheels to read the totals .

Stepped Reckoner or Leibnitz wheel :

 A German mathematician - philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz in 1673

developed this device by improving Pascal's invention to develop this

machine .

 It was basically a digital mechanical calculator , and it was called the

stepped reckoner as it was made of fluted drums instead of gears ( used

in the previous model of Pascaline ) .

Difference Engine :

 Charles Babbage who is also known as the " Father of Modern Computer "

designed the Difference Engine in the early 1820s .

 Difference Engine was a mechanical computer which is capable of

performing simple calculations .

 It works with help of steam as it was a steam - driven calculating machine

, and it was designed to solve tables of numbers like logarithm tables .

Analytical Engine :

 Again in 1830 Charles Babbage developed another calculating machine

which was Analytical Engine .

 Analytical Engine was a mechanical computer that used punch cards as

input .

 It was capable of performing or solving any mathematical problem and

storing information as a permanent memory ( storage ) .

Tabulating Machine :

 Herman Hollerith , an American statistician invented this machine in the

year 1890 .

 Tabulating Machine was a mechanical tabulator that was based on punch

cards .

 It was capable of tabulating statistics and record or sort data or

information .

 This machine was used by U.S. Census in the year 1890 .

 Hollerith's Tabulating Machine Company was started by Hollerith and this

company later became International Business Machine ( IBM ) in the year

1924 .

Differential Analyzer :

 Differential Analyzer was the first electronic computer introduced in the

year 1930 in the United States .

 It was basically an analog device that was invented by Vannevar Bush .

 This machine consists of vacuum tubes to switch electrical signals to

perform calculations .

 It was capable of doing 25 calculations in few minutes .

Turing Machine :

 A Turing machine is a mathematical model of computation that defines an

abstract machine that manipulates symbols on a strip of tape according to

a table of rules .
  Despite the model's simplicity , given any computer algorithm , a Turing

machine capable of simulating that algorithm's logic can be constructed .

 The Turing machine was invented in 1936 by Alan Turing , who called it an

" a - machine " ( automatic machine ) .

 Turing machines proved the existence of fundamental limitations on the

power of mechanical computation .

 A programming language that is Turing complete is theoretically capable

of expressing all tasks accomplished by computers .

 Nearly all programming languages are Turing complete if the limitations of

finite memory are ignored .

Mark I :

 In the year 1937 , major changes began in the history of computers when

Howard Aiken planned to develop a machine that could perform large

calculations or calculations involving large numbers .

 In the year 1944 , Mark I computer was built as a partnership between

IBM and Harvard .

 It was also the first programmable digital computer marking a new era in

the computer world .

First Generation Computers :

 Main electronic component vacuum tube

 Main memory - magnetic drums and magnetic tapes

 Programming language - machine language

 Power - consume a lot of electricity and generate a lot of heat .

 Speed and size - very slow and very large in size ( often taking up entire

room ) Input / output devices - punched cards and paper tape .

 Examples - ENIAC , UNIVAC - 1 , IBM 650 , IBM 701 , etc.

Second Generation Computers :

 Main electronic component - transistor Memory - magnetic core and

magnetic tape / disk.

 Programming language - assembly language Power and size - low power

consumption , generated less heat , and smaller in size ( in comparison with

the first generation computers ) .

 Speed - improvement of speed and reliability ( in comparison with the

first generation computers ) .

 Input / output devices - punched cards and magnetic tape .

 Examples - IBM 1401 , IBM 7090 and 7094 , UNIVAC 1107 , etc.

Third Generation Computers :

 Main electronic component - integrated circuits ( ICS )

 Memory - large magnetic core , magnetic tape / disk

 Programming language - high level language ( FORTRAN , BASIC , Pascal ,

COBOL , C , etc. )
  Size - smaller , cheaper , and more efficient than second generation

computers ( they were called minicomputers ) .

 Speed - improvement of speed and reliability ( in comparison with the

second generation computers ) .

 Input / output devices - magnetic tape , keyboard , monitor , printer , etc.

 Examples - IBM 360 , IBM 370 , PDP - 11 , UNIVAC 1108 , etc.

Fourth Generation Computers :

 Main electronic component - very large - scale integration ( VLSI ) and

microprocessor .

 VLSI - thousands of transistors on a single microchip .

 Memory - semiconductor memory ( such as RAM , ROM , etc. )

 Programming language - high level language ( Python , C # , Java ,

JavaScript , Rust , Kotlin , etc. ) .

 A mix of both third and fourth - generation languages . Size - smaller ,

cheaper and more efficient than third generation computers .

 Speed - improvement of speed , accuracy , and reliability ( in comparison

with the third generation computers ) .

 Input / output devices - keyboard , pointing devices , optical scanning ,

monitor , printer , etc.

 Network - a group of two or more computer systems linked together .

 Examples - IBM PC , STAR 1000 , APPLE II , Apple Macintosh , etc.

Fifth Generation Computers :

 Main electronic component : based on artificial intelligence , uses the

 Ultra Large - Scale Integration ( ULSI ) technology and parallel

processing method .

 ULSI- millions of transistors on a single microchip

 Parallel processing method - use two or more microprocessors to run tasks

simultaneously .

 Language - understand natural language ( human language ) .

 Power consume less power and generate less heat .

 Speed - remarkable improvement of speed , accuracy and reliability ( in

comparison with the fourth generation computers ) .

 Size - portable and small in size , and have a huge storage capacity .

 Input / output device - keyboard , monitor , mouse , trackpad ( or

touchpad ) , touchscreen , pen , speech input ( recognise voice / speech ) ,

light scanner , printer , etc.

 Example - Desktops , laptops , tablets , smartphones , etc.