Computing for the

Modern world
CSC400-Computer science & Coding
Topic 4
Computers all around us
Computer over time
• Computers in the 1940s and 1950s were large expensive machines
used for government and business purposes.
• Initially just a few existed worldwide, costing millions of dollars,
weighing over a ton, and occupying entire rooms
• Computer chips were invented in the 1950's, and regularly improved
to have more switches and lower costs
• In the 1980s, people began purchasing desktop and laptop computers
for home use.
Computer over time

• Starting from the 2000's, computers began appearing in the form of

electronic tablets, book readers, and smartphones too.

Examples of commonly-used computers: Desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones

Embedded computers

An embedded computer is a
computer inside another
electrical device, like inside a
TV, car, printer, thermostat,
satellite, etc.
Embedded systems: Smart pills, automobiles, and more.
Watch!
 Basics: Hardware & Software

• Hardware is the term for the physical

parts of a computer. In contrast.
• software is the term for the programs
(the 0's and 1's) that instruct the
computer what to do.
 Computer's hardware includes:
• CPU: Hardware that runs program instructions and controls other hardware;
called the computer's brain. CPU is short for central processing unit. The
CPU has two main components:
• The arithmetic logic unit or ALU performs arithmetic (+, -, *, /) and logic (AND,
OR, XOR, NOT) operations on binary integers.
• The control unit tells computer components, such as memory, the ALU, and input
and output devices, how to respond to computer instructions.
• Memory: Hardware that stores data. Memory is also called RAM, short for
Random Access Memory.
• Keyboard: Hardware for input that allows a user to type characters.
• Screen: Hardware for output that displays characters and images to a user.
How do computing devices work?
Activity 1-
Computing Devices in the real-world business
Discuss with your group to select an industry or business where computing
devices are used by all staff/ workers to perform the intended job.
Search more to find the answers of the following questions:

1. Which industry you have explored?

2. What are the computing devices are used by the staff/employees?
3. Why do employees/workers need to use computing devices?
4. Provide examples of input, process, storage, and output devices used in this
industry/company to perform the tasks.

Organize your answers in a poster to be displayed in your class.

 ISPO Approach in programming:

In programming, programmers follow the ISPO

approach to develop functioning programs, the
program code must:

1.Accept the user input.

2.Process it through defined algorithm, apply
operations and store the result in variables.
3.Provide the output result.
Activity(2): IPSO Program

Using any programming language, work in pairs to create a

program that :

• Allows the user to enter three numbers (input)

• Calculates the sum and average of these three numbers
(process) and stores them in relevant variables (store)
• Displays the result in a meaningful sentence (output)

Run & test your program using different examples of user

inputs (test cases)
Resources:
• Computing Technology For All Textbook.
• Code.org Video Resources.