E.g., a computer could perform 5,000 additions & 300 multiplications per second.ī). The computers were built using Vacuum tubes, and the speed was measured in Milliseconds.1st Generation computers (1940s & early 1950s). The speed of a computer is usually linked to the technology used to build it.Ī). Picosecond - a million millionth of a second (10-12) Nanosecond - a thousand millionth of a second (10-9) Microsecond - a millionth of a second (10-6) Millisecond - a thousandth of a second (10-3) The speed of a computer is measured in Fractions of seconds. They can perform a much complicated task much faster than a human being. The following are some of the attributes that make computers widely accepted & used in the day-to-day activities in our society:Ĭomputers operate at very high speeds, and can perform very many functions within a very short time. Today, millions of people are using computers in offices and at home to produce and store all types of information Characteristics / Features of a Computer.īefore 20th century, most information was processed manually or by use of simple machines. The information must be accurate, timely, complete and relevant. Information: is the data which has been refined, summarized & manipulated in the way you want it, or into a more meaningful form for decision-making. The processing of the data usually results in some meaningful information being produced. The processing may involve calculation, comparison or any other logic to produce the required result. Processing refers to the way the data is manipulated (or handled) to turn it into information. It is the process of collecting all items of data together & converting them into information. Pressure, Temperature, Humidity, Lengths or currents, etc. The output is in form of smooth graphs from which the data can be read. Analogue data is obtained by measurement. It must be represented in physical nature in order to be processed by the computer.

1, 2, 3 …Īnalogue data is continuous in nature. It must be represented in form of numbers, alphabets or symbols for it to be processed by a computer. TYPES OF DATA.ĭigital data is discrete in nature.

Data may be in form of numbers, alphabets/letters or symbols, and can be processed to produce information. Data: Is a collection of raw facts, figures or instructions that do not have much meaning to the user. Program:Ī computer Program is a set of related instructions written in the language of the computer & is used to make the computer perform a specific task (or, to direct the computer on what to do).Ī set of related instructions which specify how the data is to be processed.Ī set of instructions used to guide a computer through a process.

The data is normally held within the computer as it is being processed. It can only work as per the set of instructions issued.Ī computer will accept data in one form and produce it in another form. It works on the data using the instructions issued, means that, the computer cannot do any useful job on its own. A computer is an electronic machine that processes raw data to give information as output.Īn electronic device that accepts data as input, and transforms it under the influence of a set of special instructions called Programs, to produce the desired output (referred to as Information).Ī computer is described as an electronic device because it is made up of electronic components and uses electric energy (such as electricity) to operate.Ī computer has an internal memory, which stores data & instructions temporarily awaiting processing, and even holds the intermediate result (information) before it is communicated to the recipients through the Output devices. Computer : is an electronic device that operates (works) under the control of programs stored in its own memory unit.

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