CSC 101 (@Adankolo LT2

9th October, 2021

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER
What is Computer?
 Computer is an electronic device that can accept input, process it and gives us
result as an output.
 Computer is an electronic device that has the capability of taking data as an input,
process the data and generate result as an output.
COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER
It is make up of two (2) major components which are;
1. Hardware
2. Software

1) Hardware: it is the physical part of the computer that you can see, feel and touch.
It is split into; Input device, Output device and the Storage device.
(a) Input device: it supplies data into the computer system. E.g, Joystick,
Keyboard, Light pen, Mouse, Scanner, e.t.c
(b) Output device: is the part of the system which receives the processed
information and send the information in human readable form. e.g, Printer,
Speakers, Monitor (VDU) Visual Display Unit, Scanner, etc.
(c) Storage device: this are used to hold data and information in the computer
system in terms of speeding. E.g, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read
Only Memory), Secondary storage device.

2) Software: it is a program in a computer system that is use to perform a specific

task. Is is divided into; Operating system software and Application software.
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER
It is classified based on different criteria; they are as follow:
1. Types
2. Purpose
3. Size

1) Classification of computer based on Types.

(i) Digital computer (ii) Analog computer (iii) Hybrid computer
a) Digital computer: these are term used to describe computer used for
commercial processing, the information in the digital computer are divided
into two. They are
(i) GENERAL PURPOSE: these are computer designed to solve wide varieties
 of problem, it used to carry out different jobs or task.
(ii) SPECIAL PURPOSE: these are computer designed for a particular job or
task to solve problem of restricted nature. E.g, Air traffic control, etc
b) Analog computer: these types of computers used in scientific and
engineering work and it is used to measure physical quantity that is
proportional to it. It does not have memory facilities. E.g, Temperature,
Pressure, Voltage and Scientific applications which requires the processing of
continuous data.
c) Hybrid computer: this computer is the combination of the analog and digital
computer. It consists of an analog digital computer cooperate in a single
system.

2) Classification of computer based on Purpose:

(i) General purpose (ii) Special purpose
(a) General purpose: this is a computer that is designed to be able to carry out
many different tasks. E.g, Desktop and Laptop computers. Etc
(b) Special purpose: this is a computer used to solve one particular problem.
They are also known as dedicated computers, because they are designed to
perform a single task over and over again. E.g, Personal Digital Assistants
(PDAs), Mobile Phone, Automated Teller Machine (ATM), etc.

3) Classification of computer based on Size and Processing Power:

(i) Super computer (ii) Mainframe computer (iii) Mini computer
(iv) Micro computer
a) Super computer: is a computer with a high level of performance as
compared to a general purpose computer. The performance of a super
computer is commonly measured in floating-point operation per second
instead of million instructions per second. E.g, Quantum mechanics, Weather
forecasting, Oil and Gas exploration, etc.
b) Mainframe computer: they are very expensive and large systems often
used to many people for variety of purpose. E.g, IBM zSeries, etc.
c) Minicomputer: they are designed to perform more than one user at a time.
E.g, IBM-PC, palmtop PC, etc.
d) Micro computer: it is the latest to be developing, the micro computer are
called Personal Computer (PC). The reason for the personal computer is that
it can be used for home or office environment.
GENERATION OF COMPUTER
(a) First generation of computer: is vary in large size. They uses Vacuum tube.
It uses electronic valves. It uses resistors and capacitors and has many switches.
It uses binary coded machine languages. This types of computer includes;
  ENIAC  Electronic Numerical In division and Computers
 EDVAC  Electronic District Variable Automatic Computer.
 UNIVAC  Universal Automatic Computer (1951).
First generation of computer has a low speed. It has high power consumption it
occupies very large space. It has limited programme capability. i.e, it cannot
solve all problem. It produce large quantity of heat.
(b) Second Generation of Computer: it consumes less power. The Vacuum tube
is replaced by a Resistor. There is a reduction in size. There is reduction in heat
production. The cost is higher. Examples;
 LARC  Live-more Automatic Computer
 IBM 401  Industrial Base Machine
 UNIVAC  Universal Variable Automatic Computer.
(c) Third Generation of Computer: it was as a result of emergence of transistors,
it reduces in size. It improve the computing power. It produces circuit which
helps in the reduction of heat. It has integrated circuit. This was achieved in the
year 1958. The scientist also produce a conductor which helps to reduce the size
of a computer. Examples;
 IBM 360  It was produced in US
(d) Forth Generation of Computer: At this time, the computer developed VLSI
(Very Large Scale Integration). It was achieved by developing the integrating
settings. It helps to improve the programming power, the size and the heat
produced by the system. At this point, PC (Personal Computer) was produced for
individual use.
(e) Fifth Generation of Computer: is a system of information processing called
Artificial Intelligence (AI) this is the method by which computer initiates
Human Intelligence (Robot)

27th Oct, 2021

COMPUTER HARDWARE
It is the description of all the parts of the computer Hardware.
C.P.U (Central Processing Unit)
It consists of the control unit, ALU (Arithmetic and Logic Unit) and other units.
The computer system has their main physical computer components.
(1) Input unit
(2) The memory unit
(3) Control processing unit
(4) Output unit
 CONTROL UNIT

ALU
Input Output
Unit Unit
CONTROL UNIT

Secondary storages unit

 Input unit of a C.P.U: is an electronic that enable the entry or supply of data into
the computer. E.g,
- Punch card reader
- Mouse
- Keyboard
- Joystick
- Light pen, etc.
 Output unit device of the computer system: it brings out result or information
from the system to the user. E.g
- Monitor (VDU  Virtual Display Unit)
- Scanner
- Printer
- Speaker
- Tape reader, etc.
Central processing unit present the mind, the heat and the processor of a computer.
This consists of three units:
- ALU
- Control Unit
- Memory Unit
FUNCTIONS OF THE C.P.U
1. It holds data as well as instructions during processing.
2. It controls the sequence of exclusions or programs
3. It issues commands in the system.
4. It carrys out data processing
SECONDARY STORAGE SIZES
COMPUTER STORAGE SIZES
- BIT
- BYTE
- WORT

 BIT: is refers to as a single binary digit in base 2 and bit are in 1 or 0 and is the
smallest unit of storage.
 BYTE: is the basic unit of storage in the computer memory and a byte is 8 or a
single bit.
 WORT: is a group of bit that a computer access as a unit.
STORAGE OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Program is a source of instructions given in the computer to perform a particular task
STORAGE OF A COMPUTER PROGRAMS
 Identification of problem
 Solution methods
 Testing and debugging
 Program documentations
- Solution method is divided into three
 Algorithm
 Flow chart
 Coding

 Algorithm: is the step by step of solving a problems or Algorithm is the sequence

of operation that when executed will produce a result and terminate in a finite
amount of force.
By Mustiniceone 