CHAPTER 1
Introduction to computer
components
by milkisa T.
Computer definition
• Is an electronic device that accepts information, process it,
and produces out put
• Is not very intelligent device but, handles instructions
flawlessly and fast.
• Is accurate, suited for repetitive work
• Can store large amount of data and performs complex
calculations.
• Generally, these are the important activities of computer:
input
Processes
Out put
PC System hardware components
• It is called a system because it includes all the components
required to have a functional computer:
Input devices- keyboard and mouse
Computer- system unit
Output devices- a CRT monitor and a printer
Main components of the system unit
• Mother board
• Power supply
• Drives
• Adapter cards
Mother board
• Is the base of the modern computer system
• Is the main ckt board in the computer where every thing comes
together
• Used to plug in:
Processor(CPU)- the brain of a computer system
RAM-the working place of a computer system.
Buses- the physical path way on the mother board
Ports-serial and parallel port
Etc..
Power supply
• A standard power supply draws power from local, alternating
current(AC) source and converts it in to either 3.3, 5 and 12
volts direct current(DC), for on board electronics and hard
drives.
Drives
• Hard disk drive
Hard disk-is the primary archival storage memory for the
system and is used to store crucial programs and data.
• CD –ROM drive
• Floppy disk drive
Adapter cards
• Video adapter cards
• I/O adapter cards
Software
• Any programs that controls the computer system.
Program –the set of instructions that tell a computer to
execute a series of specific tasks.
• Two types of computer software:
System software
Application software
System software
• Is a computer program that directly communicate with
computer hardware.
• It includes a combination of the following:
Operating system
Device derivers
Programming software etc…
Application software
• Allows end users to accomplish one or more specific tasks.
• Typical applications include:
Word processor
Database
Business software
Spreadsheet etc…
N.B application software communicates with the computer
hardware via system software, the operating system.
Application
User OS Hardware
software
Programming languages
• Programming language is a set of rules, symbols, and special
words used to construct a computer program
• Three level of programming language:
Machine language- binary representation of the
instructions that computer hardware can perform
Assembly (symbol) language- is a low level
programming language in which a mnemonic is
used to represent each of the machine language
instruction for a specific computer.
high level language - c++,c, java
• Example:
Machine language Assembly language
100101 ADD
001101 SUB
011001 MPY
100111 CMP
100011 JMP
High level language- is more understandable and
closer to standard notations than assembly language
e.g C++ is high level language based on algebraic
notation.
Assembly language C++
LOAD x
A=x+y-z
ADD y
SUB z
STO A
Program development
• Is a structure imposed on the development of a software
product.
• There are several models for such processes, each describing
approaches to a variety of tasks or activities that takes place
during the process.
Algorithm
• Algorithm: is a procedure for solving a problem in terms of the
actions to be executed and the order in which those actions are
to be executed.
• Is merely the sequence of steps taken to solve a problem.
• E.g: 1.input: number1, number2,…,numberN
2.Avg number1+number2+…+numberN)/N
3. print Avg.
Algorithm
• Step 1: Input W,L to calculate
• Step 2: A L x W
area and
• Step 3: C 2(L+W)
circumference
• Step 3: Print A,C
of A
rectangle.
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PSEUDO CODE
• Pseudo code: is an artificial and informal language that
helps programmers develop algorithms.
• It is nearer to the everyday spoken English language.
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• Three standards for good pseudo code:
Number each instruction.
Each instruction should be unambiguous
Completeness. Nothing is left out.
Example-1:
1. Get price of item
2. Get sales tax
3. sales tax=price of items times sales tax rate
4. Final price=price of item plus sales tax
5. Display final price
6. halt
• Example-2:
if student grade is greater than 60 print “pass”
else print “failed”
• Example-3:
1. Prompt for the first number
2. Get the number
3. Prompt for the second number
4. Get the number
5. Average=(first number + second number)/2
6. Display average
Flow charts
• Is a representation, primarily through the use of symbols, of the
sequence of activities in a system(process, operation, function…..)
Terminal Flow lines
Input/output Decision
Process Connector
• Example: print a list of the numbers from 4 to 9,
next to each number; print the square of the
number.
start
Num=4
X=Num2
Print
No Num , x
yes
Num =Num+1
Num>9
stop
• Example-2 displays the sum of first natural numbers b/n 4 and 50
start
X=4
Sum=0
Sum=Sum+x
X=x+1
yes no
X<=50
Print
sum
End
Exercise
Write an algorithm , pseudo code and draw a
flowchart that will calculate the roots of a
quadratic equation Ax2+Bx+c that has a real
solution.
Hint: d = sqrt (B2-4Ac ), and the roots are:
x1 = (–b + d)/2a and x2 = (–b –
d)/2a
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