Fundamentals of Computer
Science
Key Concepts Overview
Basic Computer Organization
• Input Unit: Devices to take input (Keyboard,
Mouse).
• Output Unit: Devices to display output
(Monitor, Printer).
• CPU: Control Unit + ALU.
• Memory: Primary (RAM, Cache) and
Secondary (Hard disk).
Evolution of Programming
Languages
• Machine Language: Binary instructions.
• Assembly Language: Mnemonics and symbols.
• High-Level Languages: C, Java, Python.
• 4GL and Beyond: SQL, AI-driven languages.
Data Representation and Storage
• Binary System: 0 and 1 representation.
• Number Systems: Binary, Octal, Decimal,
Hexadecimal.
• Characters: ASCII, Unicode.
• Memory Units: Bit, Byte, KB, MB, GB, TB.
Basics of Programming
Environment
• Editors: Tools to write code (Notepad++, VS
Code).
• Debuggers: Tools to fix errors (gdb, pdb).
• Translators: Compiler, Interpreter, Assembler.
• Program Execution: Source code → Object
code → Executable.
Basics of Program Design and
Execution
• Problem definition and analysis.
• Program design using algorithms and
flowcharts.
• Coding the design in a programming language.
• Compilation, debugging, and execution.
Algorithms
• Step-by-step procedure to solve problems.
• Properties: Finite, definite, effective.
• Example: Algorithm to find maximum of two
numbers.
Pseudocode and Flowcharts
• Pseudocode: Informal high-level description of
algorithm.
• Flowchart: Diagrammatic representation of
algorithm.
• Symbols: Oval (Start/End), Rectangle
(Process), Diamond (Decision).
