FUNCTIONS AND

CHARACTERISTICS OF
COMPUTER
THE FOUR BASIC FUNCTIONS
OF A COMPUTER
 Input

❖ Input - any information or

data sent to a computer
 Processing
❖ Processing - describes the process
of a software program
 Storage

❖ Storage- any hardware capable of

holding information
 Output
❖ Output - any information that is processed by
and sent out from a computer or other
electronic device
 The computer operates according to instructions stored in
its own memory unit and can accept inputted data, process
that data arithmetically; and through sequence based
logic, it can produce information and store the results for
future use. All the applications of a computer derive from
one of these four functions.

DID YOU KNOW THAT? The

first mechanical computer was
created by Charles Babbage in
1822. He was considered as
“father of the modern
computer”.
CHARACTERISTICS OF
COMPUTER
 It is a machine
❖ It is an inanimate
object
❖ It needs outside intervention for it to
run
❖ It can do things for which it is
intended
 It is electronic
❖ It is made up of electronic
circuits
❖ It is powered by electricity
 It is automatic
• It has the ability to set up its internal
operations on its own
• The various operations are executed automatically
by way of a stored computer program
 It can manipulate data
• Following specific rules, it can perform
arithmetic functions such as addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division and
other complex mathematical operations.
 It has memory
❖ It has the capacity to remember what it has done
❖ It can store instructions in its memory and
follow these through unaided
❖ It has the ability to store large amount of
data in a compact and easily retrievable form.
 It has logic functions
❖ It can perform certain decision instructions
automatically
❖ It can determine whether a certain
statement is true or false