MNR COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

Topic: Introduction of Computers

Asst.Professor: K.Praveena
Definition of computer:
• A Computer is an electronic device that
stores, manipulates and retrieves the data.‖
We can also refer computer computes the
information supplied to it and generates data.
(or)
 A programmable electronic device designed to
accept data, perform prescribed mathematical
and logical operations at high speed, and
display the results of these operations.
several electronic devices such as
laptops, desktops, calculators, tablets,
and smartphones are some of the
different types of computers.
Components of a Computer
System

Every computer system has the following

three basic components:

1. Inputunit
2. Central processing unit
3. Output unit
 Primary memory:

 The following are the types of memories

which are treated as primary

 ROM: It represents Read Only Memory

that stores data and instructions even
when the computer is turned off. The
Contents in the ROM can’t be modified
once if they are written . It is used to
store the BIOS information.
 RAM: It represents Random Access
Memory that stores data and instructions
when the computer is turned on.
 The contents in the RAM can be
modified any no. of times by
instructions. It is used to store the
programs under execution.
Cache memory: It is used to store the data
and instructions referred by processor.
Fig:RAM
 Secondary Memory:
 The following are the different kinds of
memories
Magnetic Storage: The Magnetic Storage
devices store information that can be read,
erased and rewritten a number of times.
Example: Floppy Disks, Hard Disks,
Magnetic Tapes
Fig: Hard disk
Optical Storage: The optical storage devices
that use laser beams to read and write stored
data.
Example: CD(Compact Disk),DVD(Digital
Versatile Disk)
 processor is an integrated
electronic circuit that performs the
calculations that run a computer.

 A processor performs arithmetical,

logical, input/output (I/O) and other
basic instructions that are passed
from an operating system (OS).

 Most other processes are

dependent on the operations of a
processor.
 operating system

 An operating system (OS) is

system software that manages
computer hardware, software resources,
and provides common services for
computer programs.

 The primary purpose of this software is to

keep the system operating in an efficient
manner while allowing the users access
to the system.
 Compiler: It is a program which is used
to convert the high level language
programs into machine language
 Interpreter:
 It is a program, it takes one statement of
a high level language program, translates
it into machine language instruction and
then immediately executes the resulting
machine language instruction and so on.