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Agritech GE Elect 3
Jasmine Nicole Osalla

I. Chapter 1: Introduction to Computer

II. Introduction

A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or data. It is designed to process data, provide
useful information and solve problems. It has the ability to store and retrieve data.
Through the use of computer, you can create presentations, type documents, prepare letters, sending mails, edit or
create videos and spreadsheets, internet banking services and browse the web.
This will help you understand how computers evolved, explains the major functions of computer, learn the
characteristics of computer and classification of computer.

III. Learning Outcome

By the end of this module, students will be able to:

 Discuss and define what is computer, functions and characteristics
 Explain how computers came into existence.
 Enumerate and define the classifications of computer.

IV. Learning Content

What is Computer?

- 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.
- The term "computer" is derived from the Latin word "computare" which means to calculate.
- a machine that performs processes, calculations and operations based on instructions provided by a software
or hardware program.
- They are also designed to execute applications.
- Charles Babbage is also known as the “father of the computer”.
Benefits of Using a Computer:
 Increases your productivity: A computer increases your productivity. For example, after having a basic
understanding of a word processor, you can create, edit, store, and print the documents easily and quickly.
 Connects to the Internet: It connects you to the internet that allows you to send emails, browse content, gain
information, use social media platforms, and more.
 Storage: A computer allows you to store a large amount of information.
 Organized Data and Information: It not only allows you to store data but also enables you to organize your
data.
 Improves your abilities: It helps write good English if you are not good at spelling and grammar.
 Assist the physically challenged: It can be used to help the physically challenged, e.g., Stephen Hawking,
who was not able to speak used computer to speak. It also can be used to help blind people by installing
special software to read what is on the screen.
 Keeps you entertained: You can use the computer to listen to songs, watch movies, play games and more.

The computer has become a part of our life. There are plenty of things that we do in a day that are dependent on a
computer. Some of the common examples are as follows:

 ATM: While withdrawing cash from an ATM, you are using a computer that enables the ATM to take
instructions and dispense cash accordingly.
 Digital currency: A computer keeps a record of your transactions and balance in your account and the money
deposited in your account in a bank is stored as a digital record or digital currency.
 Trading: Stock markets use computers for day to day trading. There are many advanced algorithms based on
computers that handle trading without involving humans.
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 Smartphone: The smartphone that we use throughout the day for calling, texting, browsing is itself a
computer.
 VoIP: All voice over IP communication (VoIP) is handled and done by computers.

Four Basic Functions of a Computer

The following diagram shows an example of these functions.

1. Input Function
- The input computer function accepts data from input devices and sends it to the computer processor.
- The raw information entered into a computer from the input devices.
- Common input peripherals include the keyboard, mouse, stylus and touchscreen. - Digital cameras,
microphones, scanners and joysticks can also be used to input information into a computer.

2. Data Processing Function

- Data processing is the most basic function of a computer.
- The operation of data as per given instruction.
- This function is performed by the central processing unit (CPU), which consists of electronic circuits that
can read and execute code instructions to perform a wide range of tasks, from performing complex
mathematical calculations to sorting the entries in a database.
- The CPU can be seen as the brain of the computer, accepting input data and instructions, executing
commands, storing results in memory and sending data to output devices.
- It controls the sequence of operations and the use of data storage.
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3. Output Function
- The process of producing the useful information for the user after processing input data
- After processing the input data, the CPU, auxiliary processor, or the process function sends the
processed data to the output function or to the default or configured output device.
- Each output device presents the processed data in a different form, for example, a monitor, a printer, and
a speaker displays, prints, and plays the processed data, respectively.

4. Data Storage Function

- One of the most useful functions of a computer is data storage. Besides storing data that has been input
through peripherals, computers also need a way to save the results of data processing.
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To store data and information, a computer uses two types of storage components: temporary and permanent.

Temporary storage components are used to store data temporarily. Data stored in a temporary storage component
is erased when the system is shutdown. RAM is a compulsory temporary storage component. A computer uses the
ram to store the running applications and their data.

Permanent storage components are used to store data permanently. Data stored in a permanent storage
component is not erased when the system is shutdown. The hard disk is the most common permanent storage
component. Usually, all computers have at least one hard disk to store data. Other common permanent storage
components or devices are external drives, USB drives, and CD/DVD.

Characteristic of a Computer
 Speed: - As you know computer can work very fast. It takes only few seconds for calculations that we take
hours to complete. You will be surprised to know that computer can perform millions (1,000,000) of
instructions and even more per second.
 Accuracy: - The degree of accuracy of computer is very high and every calculation is performed with the
same accuracy. The errors in computer are due to human and inaccurate data.
 Diligence: - A computer is free from tiredness, lack of concentration, fatigue, etc. It can work for hours
without creating any error. If millions of calculations are to be performed, a computer will perform every
calculation with the same accuracy.
 Versatility: - It means the capacity to perform completely different type of work. You may use your computer
to prepare payroll slips. Next moment you may use it for inventory management or to prepare electric bills.
 Power of Remembering: - Computer has the power of storing any amount of information or data. Any
information can be stored and recalled as long as you require it, for any numbers of years. It depends entirely
upon you how much data you want to store in a computer and when to lose or retrieve these data. 
 No IQ: - Computer is a dumb machine and it cannot do any work without instruction from the user. It
performs the instructions at tremendous speed and with accuracy. It is you to decide what you want to do and
in what sequence. So a computer cannot take its own decision as you can. 
 No Feeling: - It does not have feelings or emotion, taste, knowledge and experience. Thus it does not get tired
even after long hours of work. It does not distinguish between users.
 Storage: - The Computer has an in-built memory where it can store a large amount of data. You can also store
data in secondary storage devices such as floppies, which can be kept outside your computer and can be
carried to other computers.

History of Computers

The first counting device was used by the primitive people. They used sticks, stones and bones as counting tools.
As human mind and technology improved with time more computing devices were developed. Some of the popular
computing devices starting with the first to recent ones are described below;
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Abacus
The history of computer begins with the birth of abacus which
is believed to be the first computer. It is said that Chinese
invented Abacus around 4,000 years ago.

It was a wooden rack which has metal rods with beads

mounted on them. The beads were moved by the abacus
operator according to some rules to perform arithmetic
calculations. Abacus is still used in some countries like China,
Russia and Japan.

Napier's Bones
It was a manually-operated calculating device which was
invented by John Napier (1550-1617) of Merchiston. In this
calculating tool, he used 9 different ivory strips or bones marked
with numbers to multiply and divide. So, the tool became known
as "Napier's Bones. It was also the first machine to use the
decimal point.

Pascaline
Pascaline is also
known as
Arithmetic Machine or Adding Machine. It was invented
between 1642 and 1644 by a French mathematician-
philosopher Biaise Pascal. It is believed that it was the first
mechanical and automatic calculator.

Pascal invented this machine to help his father, a tax

accountant. It could only perform addition and subtraction. It was a
wooden box with a series of gears and wheels. When a wheel is
rotated one revolution, it rotates the neighboring wheel. A series
of windows is given on the top of the wheels to read the totals.

Stepped Reckoner or Leibnitz wheel

It was developed by a German mathematician-philosopher Gottfried
Wilhelm Leibnitz in 1673. He improved Pascal's invention to develop
this machine. It was a digital mechanical calculator which was called
the stepped reckoner as instead of gears it was made of fluted drums.
See the following image;

Difference Engine
In the early 1820s, it was
designed by Charles Babbage who is
known as "Father of Modern Computer". It was a mechanical
computer which could perform simple calculations. It was a steam driven
calculating machine designed to solve tables of numbers like
logarithm tables.
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Analytical Engine
This calculating machine was also developed by Charles Babbage in
1830. It was a mechanical computer that used punch-cards as input. It
was capable of solving any mathematical problem and storing
information as a permanent memory.

Tabulating Machine
It was invented in 1890, by Herman Hollerith, an American
statistician. It was a mechanical tabulator based on punch cards.
It could tabulate statistics and record or sort data or
information. This machine was used in the 1890 U.S.
Census. Hollerith also started the Hollerith?s Tabulating
Machine Company which later became International
Business Machine (IBM) in 1924.

Differential Analyzer
It was the first electronic computer introduced in the United
States in 1930. It was an analog device invented by
Vannevar Bush. This machine has vacuum tubes to switch
electrical signals to perform calculations. It could do 25 calculations in few
minutes.

Mark I
The next major changes in the
history of computer began in 1937 when Howard Aiken planned to
develop a machine that could perform calculations involving large
numbers. In 1944, Mark I computer was built as a partnership between
IBM and Harvard. It was the first programmable digital computer.

Generations of Computers

A generation of computers refers to the specific improvements in computer technology with time. In 1946,
electronic pathways called circuits were developed to perform the counting. It replaced the gears and other
mechanical parts used for counting in previous computing machines.

In each new generation, the circuits became smaller and more advanced than the previous generation circuits. The
miniaturization helped increase the speed, memory and power of computers.

There are five generations of computers which are described below.

First Generation Computers

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The first generation (1946-1959) computers were slow, huge and expensive. In these computers, vacuum tubes
were used as the basic components of CPU and memory. These computers were mainly depended on batch
operating system and punch cards. Magnetic tape and paper tape were used as output and input devices in this
generation;

Some of the popular first generation computers are;

 ENIAC ( Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer)
 EDVAC ( Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer)
 UNIVACI( Universal Automatic Computer)
 IBM-701
 IBM-650

Second Generation Computers

The second generation (1959-1965) was the era of the transistor computers. These computers used transistors
which were cheap, compact and consuming less power; it made transistor computers faster than the first generation
computers.

In this generation, magnetic cores were used as the primary memory and magnetic disc and tapes were used as the
secondary storage. Assembly language and programming languages like COBOL and FORTRAN, and Batch
processing and multiprogramming operating systems were used in these computers.
Some of the popular second-generation computers are;
 IBM 1620
 IBM 7094
 CDC 1604
 CDC 3600
 UNIVAC 1108

Third Generation Computers

The third-generation computers used integrated circuits (ICs) instead of transistors. A single IC can pack huge
number of transistors which increased the power of a computer and reduced the cost. The computers also became
more reliable, efficient and smaller in size. These generation computers used remote processing, time-sharing,
multi programming as operating system. Also, the high-level programming languages like FORTRON-II TO IV,
COBOL, PASCAL PL/1, ALGOL-68 were used in this generation.
Some of the popular third generation computers are;
 IBM-360 series
 Honeywell-6000 series
 PDP (Personal Data Processor)
 IBM-370/168
 TDC-316

Fourth Generation Computers

The fourth generation (1971-1980) computers used very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits; a chip containing
millions of transistors and other circuit elements. These chips made this generation computer more compact,
powerful, fast and affordable. These generation computers used real time, time sharing and distributed operating
system. The programming languages like C, C++, DBASE were also used in this generation.
Some of the popular fourth generation computers are;
 DEC 10
 STAR 1000
 PDP 11
 CRAY-1 (Super Computer)
 CRAY-X-MP (Super Computer)
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Fifth Generation Computers
In fifth generation (1980-till date) computers, the VLSI technology was replaced with ULSI (Ultra Large Scale
Integration). It made possible the production of microprocessor chips with ten million electronic components.
This generation computer used parallel processing hardware and AI (Artificial Intelligence) software. The
programming languages used in this generation were C, C++, Java, .Net, etc.
Some of the popular fifth generation computers are;
 Desktop
 Laptop
 NoteBook
 UltraBook
 ChromeBook

Classification of Computers

The computer systems can be classified on the following basis:

1. On the basis of purpose
2. On the basis of data handling.
3. On the basis of size.

Classification on the basis of purpose

 General purpose computers are designed to perform a range of tasks. They have the ability to store numerous
programs, but lack in speed and efficiency.

 Specific purpose computers are designed to handle a specific problem or to perform a specific task. A set of
instructions is built into the machine.

Classification on the basis of data handling

1. Analog Computer 
An analog computer (spelt analogue in British English) is a form of computer that
uses continuous physical phenomena such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic quantities to model the
problem being solved.

2. Digital Computer
A computer that performs calculations and logical operations with quantities represented as digits,
usually in the binary number system

3. Hybrid Computer (Analog + Digital)

A combination of computers those are capable of inputting and outputting in both digital and analog
signals. A hybrid computer system setup offers a cost effective method of performing complex simulations.

Classification on the basis of size

 Super Computer 
The fastest and most powerful type of computer
Supercomputers are very expensive and are employed for
specialized applications that require immense amounts of
mathematical calculations. For example, weather forecasting
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requires a supercomputer. Other uses of supercomputers include animated graphics, fluid dynamic calculations,
nuclear energy research, and petroleum exploration.
The chief difference between a supercomputer and a mainframe is that a supercomputer channels all its power
into executing a few programs as fast as possible, whereas a mainframe uses its power to execute many
programs concurrently.

 Mainframe Computer
A very large and expensive computer capable of
supporting hundreds, or even thousands, of users
simultaneously. In the hierarchy that starts with a
simple microprocessor (in watches, for example) at the
bottom and moves to supercomputers at the top,
mainframes are just below supercomputers. In some ways,
mainframes are more powerful than supercomputers
because they support more simultaneous programs. But
supercomputers can execute a single program faster than a
mainframe.

 Mini Computer 
A midsized computer. In size and power, minicomputers lie between workstations and mainframes. In the past
decade, the distinction between large minicomputers and small mainframes has blurred, however, as has the
distinction between small minicomputers and workstations. But in general, a minicomputer is a multiprocessing
system capable of supporting from 4 to about 200 users simultaneously.

 Micro Computer or Personal Computer

 Desktop Computer: a personal or micro-mini computer sufficient to fit on a desk.
 Laptop Computer: a portable computer complete with an integrated screen and keyboard. It is generally
smaller in size than a desktop computer and larger than a notebook computer.
 Palmtop Computer/Digital Diary /Notebook /PDAs: a hand-sized computer. Palmtops have no keyboard
but the screen serves both as an input and output device.

 Workstations
A terminal or desktop computer in a network. In this context, workstation is just a generic term for a
user's machine (client machine) in contrast to a "server" or "mainframe."

V. Teaching and Learning Activities

Conduct internet research using any search engine like www.google.com for a photo or picture showcasing a brief
timeline of the evolution or history of computing.

VI. Recommended Learning Materials and Resources for Supplementary Reading

Browse https://www.livescience.com/20718-computer-history.html in your web browser and see the history of
computing in a brief timeline.

VII. Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM) Adopted

In this module, the online and remote FTLM is adapted using Edmodo and Zoom application. For the online
modality, the Zoom video conferencing application shall be used for the purpose of delivering a lecture and
allowing a synchronous discussion with the students. For the remote modality, Edmodo shall be used to upload and
download the module, and to allow asynchronous discussion with the students. This will also be used as a platform
for the submission of the requirements.

VIII. Assessment Task

Please visit your Edmodo class and take the quiz pertaining to this module.
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