MODULE ON INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING

Course Title: Introduction to Computing

Course Number: CMSC 102
Course Description:
The course introduces the basic concepts of computer programming languages
specifically using Python Programming. This course also discuss the structures of
program, proper declaration of variables, data types, functions, objects, inheritance, and
polymorphism in regards to Object Oriented-Programming (OOP). The students will
acquire skills and knowledge in working with codes using Python Programming
Language.

Total Learning Time: 94 hours

Pre-requisites: None
Overview:
This module serves as a guide on basic concepts of computer programming. The
students will acquire skills and knowledge in working with codes using Python
Programming Language.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the topic, students should name and explain the components of
computer system, basic computer operations, distinguish the different types of computer
according to its applications, know the advantages and disadvantages of a High Level
and Low Level Languages, Understand on how to make a Python Classes in the
Integrated Development Environment (IDE) of Python Programming Language, and
Understand the different data types used in the Python Program.

Indicative Content:
• Memory System
• Random Access Memory
• Read Only Memory
• Secondary Storage Devices
Discussion:

CHAPTER 2. MEMORY SYSTEM IN A COMPUTER

There are two kinds of computer memory: primary and secondary. Primary memory is
accessible directly by the processing unit. RAM is an example of primary memory. As soon
as the computer is switched off the contents of the primary memory is lost. You can store and
retrieve data much faster with primary memory compared to secondary memory. Secondary
memory such as floppy disks, magnetic disk, etc., is located outside the computer.
Primary memory is more expensive than secondary memory. Because of this the size of
primary memory is less than that of secondary memory. We will discuss about secondary
memory later on memory is more expensive than secondary memory. Because of this the size
of primary memory is less than that of secondary memory. We will discuss about secondary
memory later on.
You know that each cell of memory contains one character or 1 byte of data. So the
capacity is defined in terms of byte or words. Thus 64 kilobyte (KB) memory is capable of
storing 64 1024 = 32,768 bytes. (1 kilobyte is 1024 bytes). A memory size ranges from few
kilobytes in small systems to several thousand kilobytes in large mainframe and
supercomputer. In your personal computer you will find memory capacity in the range of 64
KB, 4 MB, 8 MB and even 16 MB(MB = Million bytes).

The following terms related to memory of a computer are discussed below:

Random Access Memory (RAM)

The primary storage is referred to as random access memory (RAM) because it is
possible to randomly select and use any location of the memory directly store and retrieve
data. It takes same time to any address of the memory as the first address. It is also called
read/write memory. The storage of data and instructions inside the primary storage is
temporary. It disappears from RAM as soon as the power to the computer is switched off.
The memories, which lose their content on failure of power supply, are known as volatile
memories. So now we can say that RAM is volatile memory.

Read Only Memory (ROM)

There is another memory in computer, which is called Read Only Memory (ROM).
Again it is the ICs inside the PC that form the ROM. The storage of program and data in the
ROM is permanent. The ROM stores some standard processing programs supplied by the
manufacturers to operate the personal computer. The ROM can only be read by the CPU but
it cannot be changed. The basic input/output program is stored in the ROM that examines and
initializes various equipment attached to the PC when the switch is made ON. The memories,
which do not lose their content on failure of power supply, are known as non-volatile
memories. ROM is non-volatile memory.

Secondary Storage Devices

Magnetic Tape
Magnetic Tape is a recording medium consisting of a thin tape with a coating of a fine
magnetic material, used for recording analogue or digital data. A device that stores computer
data on magnetic tape is a tape drive. The capacity of tape media are generally on the same
order as hard disk drives (The largest being about 5 Terabytes in 2011). Magnetic Tapes
Generally transfer data a bit slower than hard drives, however magnetic tapes are cheaper and
are more durable.
Floppy Disk
Floppy Disks were an were a ubiquitous form of data storage between 1980's and
early 2000's, However they have now been superseded by data storage methods with much
greater capacity, such as USB flash drives. Floppy disks comes in 3 sizes: 8-inches, 5.5-
inches and 3.5-inches. The capacities of Floppy disks vary between 1-250 Megabytes and
these devices were very slow, reading data at rates of bytes and kbytes/second. However,
most are very small and portable.

Hard Disk
The hard disk drive is the main, and usually largest data storage device in a computer.
It is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. A hard drive is made
up of platters which stored the data, and read/write heads to transfer data. A Hard Drive is
generally the fastest of the secondary storage devices, and has the largest data storage
capacity, approximately the same as Magnetic Tapes. Hard drives however, are not very
portable and are primarily used internally in a computer system. Some persons use hard
drives externally as a form of storage and as a substitute for portable storage, hard drives used
for these purposes are called external hard drives.

Optical Discs
Optical disk is an electronic data storage medium from which data is read and written
to by using a low-powered laser beam. It is flat, circular, plastic or glass disk on which data is
stored in the form of light and dark pits. There are three basic types of optical disks: Read-
only optical disks, Write once read many Optical disks and Rewritable Optical disks. Two
main types of optical disks are:
CD - is an abbreviation of compact disk, and is a form of data storage that can transfer
data up to the speed of 7800 KB/s. A standard 120 mm CD holds up to 700 MB
of data, or about 70 minutes of audio. There are two types of CD: CD-ROM and
CD-RW, CD-ROM are stands for CD-Read Only Memory and they function the
same way Read Only Memory Does. CD-RW Stards for CD-Rewritable, these
disks can be erased and rewritten at any time.
 DVD - is an abbreviation of Digital Versatile Disc, and is an optical disc storage
media format that can be used for data storage. The DVD supports disks with
capacities of 4.7 GB to 17 GB and access rates of 600 KBps to 1.3 MBps. A
standard DVD disc store up to 4.7 GB of data. There are two types of DVD's:
DVD-ROM and DVD-RW. DVD-ROM stands for DVD-Read Only Memory
and they function the same way Read Only Memory Does. DVD-RW stands for
DVD-Rewritable, these disks can be erased and rewritten at any time.

Flash Drive
A flash drive is a small external storage device, typically the size of a human thumb
that consists of flash memory. USB flash drives are removable and rewritable reads and
writes to flash memory. They are a solid-state storage medium that's both inexpensive and
durable. Currently, USB 2.0 flash drives on the market are able to reach a data transfer speed
of 480 Mbit/s and USB 3.0 has transmission speeds of up to 5 Gbit/s. USB Flash drives vary
in sizes from 8 Megabytes to 512 Gigabytes. More commonly used sizes vary from 2
Gigabytes.

Flash Memory cards

Flash memory is a EEPROM non-volatile computer storage chip. These Memory
cards currently vary in sizes between 1 Gigabytes -16 Gigabytes and they transfer data at a
rate of approximately 14.65 MB/s. Flash memory cards have most of the same characteristics
of a flash drive in that they are inexpensive and durable, and are very small. However Flash
memory cards are Flat and have a size of about 1 inch * 0.75 inch with a thickness of about
2mm. Flash memory cards also have a smaller version which is used within cell phones;
These smaller cards are about 6mmX3mm in size and are less than 1mm thick.
Exercises/Drills:

1. Discuss how Random Access Memory works.

2. State the differences of Random Access Memory and the Read Only Memory.

References:
• A Practical Introduction to Python Programming by Brian Heinold/ebook
• Getting Started with Python and IDLE/ebook
• A Python Book: Beginning Python, Advanced Python, and Python Exercises by Dave
Kuhlman/ebook
• Python Basics/ebook

Prepared by:

RIO L. VERGABERA, ME
Course Facilitator