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Introduction
The course focuses on C++ programming, a versatile and powerful language suitable for beginners and
experienced programmers alike.

Software consists of instructions written to control hardware (computers). This course teaches the
fundamentals of writing such instructions.

Computers and the Internet in Industry and Research

Over the past decades, technology companies like Apple, IBM, Google, and Amazon have led innovation
and significantly influenced global industries.

These companies rely heavily on professionals skilled in fields like computer science, computer
engineering, and information systems.

Hardware and Software

Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer, such as keyboards, screens, memory, and
CPUs.

Software represents the programs or instructions that direct the hardware to perform tasks.

Modern computers can execute billions of calculations per second, and supercomputers handle even
quadrillions of instructions per second.

Computer Organization
Computers are divided into logical units:

Input Unit: Accepts data (e.g., keyboards, mice).

Output Unit: Displays results (e.g., monitors, printers).

Memory Unit: Stores data and programs.

Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU): Performs calculations and decision-making.

Control Unit: Directs and coordinates the computer’s operations.

Secondary Storage Unit: Provides additional storage for data not in active use (e.g., hard drives,
SSDs).

Data Hierarchy
Bits: The smallest data unit, representing binary values 0 or 1.

Characters: Human-readable symbols like letters, numbers, and special symbols, encoded in binary
patterns.

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 Fields: Groups of characters or bytes that convey specific meanings (e.g., a name or age).

Records: Collections of fields representing an entity (e.g., an employee's payroll record).

Files: Groups of related records.

Databases: Collections of data organized for efficient access and manipulation, often using relational
models with tables, records, and fields.

Machine, Assembly, and High-Level Languages

Machine Languages:

Consist of binary instructions directly understood by the computer hardware.

Difficult for humans to write or debug.

Assembly Languages:

Use English-like abbreviations (e.g., ADD , SUB ) for elementary operations.

Require assemblers to translate into machine language.

High-Level Languages:

Enable writing complex instructions using statements resembling everyday English or mathematical
expressions.

Examples include C++, JavaScript, and Python.

Programs are either compiled (converted into machine language) or interpreted (executed directly
without compilation).

Q&A Questions

Basic-Level Questions
1. What is the purpose of C++ in programming?
Answer: C++ is a powerful programming language suitable for beginners and experts to write instructions
for controlling computer hardware and creating complex systems.

2. Name three examples of hardware.

Answer: Keyboard, monitor, and CPU.

3. What is software?

Answer: Software refers to programs or sequences of instructions that control hardware.

4. Define a bit.
Answer: A bit is the smallest unit of data in a computer, capable of holding a binary value (0 or 1).

5. What is a record in the data hierarchy?

Answer: A record is a collection of related fields representing an entity, such as an employee's details in a
payroll system.

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 6. What are machine languages?

Answer: Machine languages are hardware-specific binary codes that computers can directly understand.

7. What is the function of a control unit in computer organization?

Answer: The control unit directs and coordinates all computer operations.

8. Explain what a database is.

Answer: A database is an organized collection of data for easy access and manipulation, commonly using
relational models.

9. What is the role of an interpreter in high-level languages?

Answer: An interpreter directly executes high-level language programs without compiling them into
machine language.

10. Give an example of a relational database structure.

Answer: A relational database organizes data into tables containing records and fields.

Medium-Level Questions
1. Why is C++ called a high-level programming language?
Answer: C++ abstracts low-level machine operations into readable syntax and allows complex tasks to be
represented with simple statements.

2. What distinguishes hardware from software?

Answer: Hardware is the physical equipment of a computer, while software consists of instructions and
programs that control hardware.

3. How do fields relate to records?

Answer: Fields are groups of characters that convey meaning, while records are composed of multiple
related fields.

4. What does the memory unit of a computer do?

Answer: It temporarily stores instructions and data that the computer is actively using.

5. What is the primary purpose of supercomputers?

Answer: Supercomputers perform extremely fast and complex calculations, often used in research and
simulations.

6. Explain the role of assemblers in programming.

Answer: Assemblers translate assembly language code into machine language for execution by the
computer.

7. What is the difference between primary and secondary storage?

Answer: Primary storage (e.g., RAM) temporarily holds data in active use, while secondary storage (e.g.,
hard drives) holds data permanently or long-term.

8. Describe a field in the data hierarchy with an example.

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 Answer: A field is a group of characters or bytes that conveys meaning, such as a person's name or age.

9. What is an arithmetic and logic unit (ALU)?

Answer: The ALU performs mathematical calculations and logical operations in a computer.

10. How do high-level languages improve programmer productivity?

Answer: High-level languages simplify programming by allowing commands to resemble everyday
language, reducing coding complexity.

Hard-Level Questions
1. What challenges exist with machine languages?
Answer: They are difficult to write, debug, and maintain due to their low-level binary format.

2. Why are relational databases widely used?

Answer: Relational databases allow for efficient data manipulation and querying through structured
relationships between tables.

3. Compare machine language and assembly language.

Answer: Machine language is binary and hardware-specific, while assembly language uses readable
mnemonics that require translation into machine code.

4. How does secondary storage differ in speed and capacity compared to primary storage?
Answer: Secondary storage is slower but has significantly larger capacity than primary storage.

5. What is a compiler’s role in high-level programming?

Answer: A compiler translates high-level language code into machine language for efficient execution by
the computer.

6. Discuss the importance of the output unit in computer organization.

Answer: The output unit presents results to the user through devices like monitors, printers, and speakers.

7. What is a scripting language, and how does it differ from compiled languages?
Answer: Scripting languages, like JavaScript, are interpreted and executed line by line, often for web-
based tasks, while compiled languages convert entire code into machine language before execution.

8. How does a database differ from a file?

Answer: A database organizes data for relational access and manipulation, while a file stores unstructured
or loosely related records.

9. What are some examples of high-level programming languages?

Answer: Examples include Python, Java, and C++.

10. Explain the concept of "logical units" in computer organization.

Answer: Logical units, such as input, output, memory, and control units, define the functional divisions of
a computer system.

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