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Difference Between Analog and Digital Computers

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28 views

Difference Between Analog and Digital Computers

Invincible mindset

Uploaded by

okyerei945
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Difference between Analog and Digital Computers

Computers have become a part of our lives to such an extent that we cannot imagine our lives without
them. For all of our day-to-day activities computers are a must, but how much do we know about them?

For starters, everyone is familiar with the digital variant but do they know that there were Analogue
computers long before the advent of their digital cousins. Also how are the two different?

Thus, the article will answer the main difference between Analog and Digital Computers. The topic will
be useful in the GK segment of the government exams and the science and technology segment of the
UPSC Exams.

What are analog and digital computers?

Before we understand the differences between analog and digital computers it is important to know
what they are first.

1. Analog Computer: An analog computer system is a type of computer system that operates on the
mathematical variables that consist of changeable physical quantities like mechanical, electrical etc.

These computers make use of continuous values in place of discrete values that generate an analog
signal. Analog computers were in use during the 1950s-1960s which were in itself a successor to
code-breaking machines used during World War II. Analog computers have a limited capacity in
accepting and computing problems and may not always be accurate in their result.

2. Digital Computer: Digital computers are machines that employ a binary number system which has
two digits only: 0 and 1. Using this binary system, many complicated tasks are undertaken. It processes
the data represented in discrete and the main three components of digital computers are as follows:

1. Input
2. Processing
3. Output

The first digital computer was designed for numerical computations during the 1940s and has made
several advancements over the years. Digital computers have more accuracy than their analog
counterparts as they are not dependent on physical quantities for task processing.
What is the difference between Analog and Digital Computers?
The difference between analog and digital computers are as follows:

Difference Between Analog and Digital Computers

Analog Computers Digital Computers

Analog computers use continuous values or Digital computers use discrete values or to
similar types of systems process continuous process discrete data. They use binary system to
data. In other words it uses physical data to compute complicated tasks
compute tasks

Compared to digital computers, analog Digital Computer are fast when it comes to
computers are slow in their task computation. processing their tasks

Analog computers have low or limited public Digital computers have large memory and thus
memory capacity and thus can only store less are able to store large amounts of data.
data.

Analog computers have no state. Digital computers have On and Off these 2 steps.

Analog computers are not on the whole reliable Digital computers are reliable and accurate than
as compare to digital computers their analog counterparts

Its performance is comparatively low. Its performance is very high.

Its speed of processing is not so high. Its speed of processing is very high.

Analog computers are reliant on physical Digital computers neither employ nor use
variations and inputs. physical variations for its tasks.

The results provided by analog computers are It provides results with higher accuracy as
not reliable as compared to their digital compared to analog computers.
counterparts.

Analog computers are extremely complicated to Digital computers are easy to use
use

Analog computers have complex architecture. Digital computers do not have such complex
architecture like analog computers.

Readability of analog computers is low. The readability of digital computers is high.

Analog computers show the result in terms of Digital computers show the result on the
voltage signals. computer display screen.
Power consumption is high. Power consumption is low.

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