1 Computer Fundamentals

A computer is a programmable machine. The principal characteristics of

computer is that it responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined
manner and it can execute a preordered list of instructions.

CHAPTER Basic Computer Organisation

Capsule All computer systems perform thefollowing five basic operations, for converting rauw input
Inthis chapter, we cover all data into information
1. Inputting The process of entering data and instructions into the computer
thebasic concepts of
Computer system such as system.
computer organisation, 2. Storing Saving data and instructions to make them readily available for
storage devices, types of initial or additional processing, as and when required.
computers, history of
Storage Unit
computers, computer
generation. A vast variety Secondary
Storage
ofquestions are asked in
the exam from this chapter.
Input Primary Output Information
Program
and Data Unit Storage Unit (Results)

Control
Unit
Indicates flow of
instructions and data
Arithmetic Indicates the
Logic Unit control exercised
by the control unit
Central Processing Unit (CPU)

3. Processing Performing arithmetic operations add, subtract, multiply,

divide, etc. or logical operations (comparisions like equal to, less than,
greater than, etc.) on data, to convert them into useful information.
 Computer Awaren

Secondary Storage
4. Outputting The process of producing useful storage, and is used to
information or results for the user, such as a It is also known as auxiliary primary storage, T
limitation of the
printed report or visual display. care of the storage much 1s cheaper
because secondary
5. Controlling Directing the manner and and it can retain in for motion
storage,
in which all of the above primary is switched offor reset
sequence operations are when the computer system
performed.

Computer organisation displays the five major building Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)is
blocks (functional units) of a digital computer system. system the place, whera.
The ALU of a computer d
These five units corresponds to the five basic operations, instructions takes place, iurng
execution of the
performed by all computer systems.
actual To be more precise
the processing operation. and all comparisons
performed
calculations are ALU. The dataa
Input Unit made in the and
decisions are the primary storage bel
instructions, stored in and when needed
The following functions are performed by an input unit transferred as
takes place. No procee
are
processing
1. It accepts (or reads) the instructions and data ALU, where processing essing
from the outside world. the storage unit. Intermedia
done in the primary are temporarily transfemed
and data in in the ALU
2. It converts these instructions results generated until needed later.
computer acceptable form. back to the primary storage,
and data to
3. Itsupplies the converted instructions Control Unit (CU)
the computer system för further processing.
actual processing on the dath
It does not perform any n e r v o u s system, for the
a central
Output Unit the control unit acts as
system. It manages
other components of the computer
Thefollowing functions are performed by an output unit and coordinates the
entire computer system. It obtaing
1. It accepts the results produced by the computer, stored in main
instructions from the programme
which are in coded form, and hence, cannot be the instructions, and issues signals
memory, interprets
easily understood by us. other units of the system to execute them
which cause
2. It converts these coded results to human
acceptable (readable) form.
3. It supplies the converted results
to the outside Central Processing Unit (CPU)
world. The CU and the ALU of a computer system are jointy
known as the CPU. It is the brain of a computer system
Storage Unit All major calculations comparisons are made inside
and
storage unit are to hold
the CPU, and the CPU is responsible for activating and
The specifie functions of the
1. The data and instruction required
for processing controling the operations of other units of the compuler
received from input devices. system.
2. Intermediate results of processing.
Concept about Bit, Byte and Words
3. Final results of processing,
before these results Bit A bit is the most basic information unit used in computingan
are released to an output device. information theory.A single bit is a one or a zero, a true or a false, anag
The storage unit of all computers is comprised ofthefollowing which is ONor OFF.
Nibble A nibble is the computing term for the aggregationotrou
two types of storage bits, there are sixteen (2) possible values.

Primary Storage Bytes and Octets The term octet always refers to an 8-bit quante
It is mostly
The primary storage, also known as main memory, is used in
the field of computer networking
computers with diferent byte width might have to communicate"
w
instructions and data, modern usage byte almost invariably means eight bits.
used to hold pieces of programme are
intermediate results of processing and recently Words The term word is used for a small group of bits whicn
Ine
handled simultaneously by processors of a particular architectue
of processing, of the jobs which the
produced results size of word is thus CPU-
specific. Many different word sizes havebeen
computer system is currently working
on.
used, including 6, 8, 12, 16, 18,24,32,36, 39, 48, 60
--~---~-------. and 64 Dit --
Computer
Fundamentals Commmsym
New IEC Standard very closely related to hardware, and not likely to
bit need frequent upgrading).
bit 0 or 1
B 8 bits Memory A
byte
Kibit
3. Programmable Read Only
1024 bits
kibibit

kbit
Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) is a
kilobit 1000 bits form of digital memory where the setting of each bit
kibibyte (binary) KIB 1024 bytes is locked by a fuse or antifuse. Blowing a fuse opens
kilobyte (decimal) kB 1000 bytes a connection while blowing an antifuse closes a
megabit Mbit 1000 kilobits connection (hence the name).
mebibyte (binary) MiB 1024 kibibytes 4. Erasable Programmable ROM An Erasable
megabyte (decimal) MB
Gbit
1000 kilobytes Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM) is a
gigabit 1000 megabits type of computer memory chip that retains its data
gibibyte (binary) GiB is switched
GB
1024 mebibytes when its power supply
programmed, an EPROM can be erased only by
off. Once
gigabyte.(decimal) 1000 megabytes
terabit Tbit 1000 gigabits exposing it to strong ultraviolet light.
tebibyte (binary) TIB 1024 gibibytes 5. Electrically Erasable Programmable
terabyte (decimal) TB 1000 gigabytes ROM Electrically Erasable Programmable Read
petabit Pbit 1000 terabits Only Memory (EEPROM) is the user modifiable
pebibyte (binary) PB 1024 tebibytes read only memory which can be erased and
to) the
petabyte (decimal) PB 1000 terabytes reprogrammed (written repeatedly through
application of higher then normal electrical voltage.
exabit Ebit 1000petabits A special form of EEPROM is the flash memory.
exbibyte (binary) EiB 1024 pebibytes
exabyte (decimal) EB 1000 petabytes 6. Dynamic RAM Dynamic Random Access
Memory (DRAM) is a type of random access
memory which stores each bit of data in a separate
Storage Device capacitor. The number of electrons stored in the
capacitor determine whether, the bit is considered
Although memory is technically any form of electronic 1 or 0. As the capacitor leaks electrons, the
storage, it is used most often identify fast, temporary
forms of storage. When, the information kept in memory, information gets lost eventually, unless the charge is
the CPU can access it much more quickly. Whether, it
refreshed periodically.
Comes from permanent storage (the hard drive) or input 7. Synchronous DRAM Synchronous DRAM
(SDRAM) is a generic name for various kinds of
he keyboard), most data goes in Random Access
Memory (RAM) first. The CPU then stores pieces of data Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) that
are synchronised with the clock speed that the
t will need to access, often in a cache, and maintains
certain special instructions in the register. microprocessor is optimised. This tends to increase
the number of instructions that the processor can
Sorage devices are divided into two types perform in a given time.
6) Primary storage devices
li) Secondary storage devices.
Secondary Storage Devices
Various secondary storage devices are given beloiw
Primary Storage Devices 1. Tape Drive A tape drive, also known as a
streamer is a storage device that reads and
0us primary storage devices are given below
writes data stored on a magnetic tape. It is
. Random Access Memory Commonly knowm typically used for archiving large volumes of
RAM, is a type of computer
by its acronymcontents in any data. They are not the fastest form of data
whose can be accessed
Storage that RAM c a n be
storage, as they are sequential, but are long
random) order. It is usually in contrast to Read
lasting and cost efficient.
both written to and read from, 2. Floppy Disk It is a data storage device that is
Only Memory (ROM). composed of a circular piece of thin, flexible (i.e.,
2. Read Only Memory Read Only Memory floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a
medium in computers.
OM) is used as a storage be written to, its main
u_e square or rectangular plastic walled. Floppy disks
Because it cannot (easily) firmware (software that is are read and written by a floppy disk drive.
e in the distribution of
 Computer Awaren
ness
3. Hard Disk A hard disk is a non-volatile data Trackball A pointing device consisting
storage device that stores data on a
exposed protruding ball
housed in a socka
surface layered onto disk magnetic axis.
et
that
platters. This is the most detects rotation about two
important, most common and most widely used ,

Touchscreen Senses the uses pressing direct

medium of data storage. y
the display.
4. CD-ROM The CD-ROM
(an 'abbreviation
Compact Disc Read
for
Light Pen It is a pen shaped 1sed to selea
device used to.

non-volatile
Only Memory) is a
objects on a display screen.
optical data storage medium using the B a r Code Reader A bar code is a set of line.
same
physical format. These are audio compact different thicknesses that represent a number
discs, readable by a
computer with a CD-ROM
drive. code readers are used to input data from bar Co
have bar codes on
A CD-ROM is a flat, metallized Most products in shops them,
plastic disc with Bar code readers work by shining a beam of ligh
digital information encoded on it in a spiral, from the lines that make up the bar code and detectingthe
the centre to the outside edge. A standard amount of light that is reflected back.
CD-ROM can hold about 700 megabytes of data or
about 80 minutes of audio.
Gaming Devices
5. DVD It is an optical disc storage media format
Some gaming devices are given below
that can be used for data storage, including movies
with high quality video and sound. DVDs Joystick A control device that consists of
handheld stick that pivots around one end, to detea
resemble compact discs; their physical dimensions
are the same 12cm or the mini 8 cm but they are angles in two or three dimensions and reportsit
angle or direction to the device it is controlling.
encoded in a different format and at a much higher
density. Game Pad A hand held game controller that relies
DVDs are made from a.0.6 mm thick disc of on the digits (especially thumbs) to provide input.
polycarbonate plastic coated with a much thinner Game Controller A specific type of controller
reflective) aluminium layer. Two such discs are specialised for certain gaming purposes.
glued together to form a 1.2 mm double-sided disc.
A single-layer DVD can store 4.7 GB, which is Image,Video Input Devices
around seven times as much a standard CD-ROM.
This type of input devices are given below

Input Devices
1. Image Scanner A device that provides input by
analysing images. printed text, handwriting, oran
Some input devices used in computer system are given below object.
2. Web Cam Avideo camera used to provide visua
Audio Input Devices input that can be easily transferred over the
internet.
Microphone An acoustic sensor that provides
input by converting sound into electrical signals. 3. Digital Camera Pictures taken using a ital
camera are stored inside its memory and can
Text Input Devices transferred to a _computer
camera to it.
by connecting he
Keyboard A device to input text and characters by
ssing buttons (referred to as keys or buttons). 4. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Usuau
d ep
abbreviated to OCR, involves computer ftware
sor
Pointing Devices designed to translate images of typewritten text
Some pointing devices are given below (usually captured by a scanner into
machine-editable text, or to translate picnic
Mouse A pointing device that detects two characters into a standard
encoding
dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. representing them in ASCII or Unicode. s
Optical Mouse Uses light to determine mouse One of the nthe
motion.
leading OCR
market is Scansoft Omni software available
Page.
computer Fundamentals
7

5. Magnetic Ink Character

a special kindRecognition (Cathode Ray Tube) display
CRT
IMICR) MICR is
of Optical
Character Recogniüon (OCR) technology that LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) as of 2010, it is
adopted mainly by the US banking industrywasto the primary visual display for personal
facilitate the processing of cheques. Almost all computers.
cheques include MICR characters at the bottom of LED (Light
the cheque leaf in a font known as E-13B. Emitting Diode) display
OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)
1234567890,: 1234567890,: 1234567890,: 1234567890 display
Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
6. Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) OMR is a Programming Languages
method of computerised input from (usually) paper
forms. It is generally distinguished from OCR by There are two major types of programming languages.
the fact that recogmition engine is not These Low Level Languages (LLL) and High Level
are
required. One
of the most familiar applications of OMR is the Languages (HLL). Low level languages are further
pencil bubble exam. divided into machine language and assembly language.
Output Devices Low Level Languages (LLL)
The term low level means closeness to the way in which
Some output devices used in computer system are given below the machine has been built. Low level languages are
1, Printer A device that produces a permanent machine oriented and require extensive knowledge of
human-readable text of graphic document. A computer hardware and its configuration.
printer will give the user a hard copy of the result Machine Language Machine language is the only
of computer's processing.
language that is directly understood by the computer. Ít
Printers are usually categorised under two does not needs any translator programme. We also call
categories impact or non-impact printers. it
machine code and it is written strings of 1l's (one)
as
and 0's (zero). When this sequence of codes is fed to the
2. Impact Printers Impact printers transfer the
image on to paper through a printing mechanism computer, it recognises the codes and converts it into
that strikes the paper, ribbon and character electrical signals needed to run it. e.g., a programme
instruction may look like this 1011000111101.
together. Examples of impact printers are dot.
matrix printers and daisy wheel printers. Assembly Language The and
forms the
set of symbols and letters

3. Non-impact Printers Non-impact printing assembly language translator programme

a

means printing without having to strike the paper. is required to translate assembly language to machine
the
Ink can be sprayed against the paper or heat and language. Thistranslator programme is called assembler.
It is considered to be second
pressure are used to fuse a fine black powder into
a
generation language.
the shape of a character. Examples of non-impact High Level Languages (HLL)
printers are ink-jet printers, laser printers and Higher level languages are simple languages that use
thermal printers.
english and mathematical symbols like +, - %, / etc.
Plotter Plotters are used to print graphical output for its programme construction.
,

on paper. It interprets computer commands and

Higher level languages are problem oriented
drawings on paper using multicoloured
makes line
languages because the instructions are suitable for
automated pens. It is capable of producing graphs, solving a particular problem. «g., COBOL (Common
drawings, charts, maps etc. Business Oriented Language) is mostly suitable for
.Speakers Typically a pair of devices (2 channels) business oriented language where there is very little
which convert electrical signals into audio. processing and huge output. There are mathematical
used to hear
Headphones for a single user are
oriented languages like FORTRAN (Formula
the audio. Translation) and BASIC (Beginners All-purpose
. Monitor An electronic visual display
with textual Symbolic Instruction Code) where very large
and graphical information from the computer. processing is required.
8
Computer Awarena
nes
Software
Sequence of instructions, written in
language, which
a users in system maintenance tasks
can be understood by a computer, is called and
a
computer performing tasks of routine nature.
programme. The term software refers to the set of 2. Application Software It is a set of one
computer programmes, procedures, and associated ne or mote
programmes, designed to solve a speciic problen
documents which describe the
they are to be used. programmes, and how do a specific task e.g, an aPplication softwa
payroll processing produces pay slips as the
output.
mair
Types of Software
The most commonly knouwn application software are
Software are divided into two types
Word Processing8 SoftwareA
1. System Software It is a set of one or more processing software enables us to make nsa
programmes, designed to control the operation and computer system for creating editing, vieu
extend the processing
capability of a computer systemn. Wing
formatting, storing, retrieving and printi
t performs one or more of the
following functions documents.
nting
Supports the development of other application Spreadsheet Software A
software. spreadshee
software is a numerical data analysis tool,whir
Supports the execution of
other application allows us to create a kind of computeri
software. ledger. A manual ledger is a book havingrom
Monitores the effective use of various hardware and columns, which accountants usefor keepit
resources, such as CPU, memory peripherals
a record of financial transactions, and t
etc. preparing financial statements.

Communicate with and controls the operation .Database Software A database is a collectionoi
of peripheral devices such related data stored and treated as unit for
as printer disk, tape information retrieval purpose.
etc.
The A data base software is a set of one
most commonly known types of system softuvare are programmes, which enable us to create a
or more
Operating System Every computer has an database, maintain it (add, delete and update is
operating system software, which takes care of records) and organise its data in desired fashion
the effective and efficient utilisation of all the
hardware and software components of the Graphics Software A graphic softwar
enables us to
computer system. computers system for
use a

Programming Language Translators These creating editing, viewing, storing, retrievingand

are system software, which transform the printing designs, drawing pictures, graph and
instructions prepared by programmers in a anything else that can be drawn in the
traditional manners.
programming language into form which can be
interpreted and executed by Personal Assistance Software A
a
computer assistance software allows us to use persona
system.
person
.Communication Software In a network computers for storing and retrieving ou
environment communication software enables personal information, and planning and
transfer of data and
programmes from one managing our schedules, contacts, financial a
computer system to another. inventory of important items.
Utility Programmes These (also known as .Education Software Education softwa
tware
utilities) are a set of programmes, which help allows us
computerssystem to be usea
as

teaching and learning tool.

C o m p u t e r
Fundamentals 9

History of Computer
1s is a Latin word that has its origins in the Greek words abax or abakon (meaning table or tablet) which in turn,
Ably originated from the semitic word abq, meaning sand.
possibl

Historical Overview of Computer

Year Inventor Invention
16th Century China
Abacus
1617 John Napier Napier's Bones
1642 Blaise Pascal First calculating machine
1671 Gottfried Von Leibnitz Calculator (Modified Pascal's machine)
1801 Joseph Jacquard Card of holes for weaving patterns
1823-34 Charles Babbage Difference engine, Analytical engine
1880 Herman Hollerith, Lady Ada Lovelace Tabulating machine using punch cards, Binary number system
1930 Howard Aitken and Grace Hopper (1BM)
Dr John Vircent
MARK-
1937-38
Atanasoff ABC (Atanasof-Bery Computer)
1946 JP Eckert JW Mauchly ENIAC (Electrical Numerical Integrator and Calculator
1940's H Goldshine, AW Burks John Von Neumann Stored Programme Concept
1947-49 John Von Neumann EDSAC ( Electronic Delayed Storage Automatic Computer)
1950 Moor School in USA EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer)
1951 Eckert $ JW Mauchly UNIVAC-I(Universal Automatic Computer)
1953 BellLaboratory of America Transistor
1954 1BM Company IBM-650 computer
1957 John Backus, IBM Fortran
1958 Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce Integrated Circuit
1959 Grace Hopper COBOL
1964 John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz BASIC
1969 America ARPANET
1971 Ted Hoff | Intel 4004

1973 Xerox Corporation Company Xerox Alto

1976 Steve Wozniak |Apple-1
1980 Microsoft Corporation MS DOS
1981 IBM Company Fist PC of IBM
|Macintosh PC of Apple
1984 Apple Company
Intel 486 Microprocessor
1988 Intel Company
Law of WVww
1991 Tim Berners-Lee
Windows 3.1
1992 Jeremy and JJ Allaire
1997 Intel Pentium-2
1999 Intel Pentium-3
Pentium-4 or uses of operating systems
2000 Intel
Allen B Dumont LCD Monitor
2003
2004 Richard Stallman Linux
Microsoft Corporation
Window Vista
2006
Android Operating System
2007 Google
2008
Language Drive System
Window explorer 8
2009
Intel R core processor
2010 Intel
10
Comput Awarenes
Types of Computers
Various types of computer are described belorw
1.
Microcomputer Microcomputer is at the lowest end of the computer range in terms or $peed and sto
capacity. Its CPU is a microprocessor. The first microcomputers were built of 8-bit microprocessor chips. Exam storage
of
microcomputer are IBM PC, PC-AT
2. Mini
Computer This is designed to supp rt than at time. It possesses large storage capacit
rk at the and
more one user a
operates at a higher speed. The mini computer is used in multi-user system in which vario same
time. They are also used as servers in Local Area Networks (LAN).
3.
Mainframes Mainframes used in organisations such
are
number of transactions on-line. They require computers with
as banks and insurance companies, to process large
very large disks to store several terabytes of data
and transfer data from disk to main
memory at several hundred megabytes/sec
The processing power needed from such computers is hundred million transactions per second.

4. Supercomputers They are the fastest and most expensive machines. They have high processing speed
compared to other computers. They have also multi-processing technique.
One of the ways in which supercomputers are built is by interconnecting hundreds of microproçessors. It shoud
have a large main memory of around 16 GB and a secondary memory of 1000 GB.
5. Work Stations They are also desktop machines. They are however, more powerful providing processor speed
about 50 times that of PCS. Normally, they have main memory of around 256 MB to 4 GB and hard disk of 80
320 GB. The standard operating system of work stations is UNIX and its derivatives such as AK (IBM) Solari
(SUN) and HP UX (HP).
 Generations of Computer

Generation Year Switching Storage Device Speed Operating System Language Application
Device
Machine and assembly Mostly scientific, later
First 1949-54 Vacuum Acoustic delay lines and 333 micro Mainly batch simple business systems
tubes/Electronic later magnetic drum. 1KB seconds languages.
valves memory Simple monitors
Second 1954-64 Transistors Magnetic core, main 10 micro Multi-bag High level languages Fortran, Extensive business
seconds remaining, time Cobol, Algol, Batch operating applications. Engineering
memory, tape and disk
design optimization,
peripheral memory. sharing systems
scientific research.
100 KB main memoryy

1964-80 Integrated Circuits High speed magnetic 100 nano Real time, time fortran IV, Cobol 68 PI/Itime Data base management
Third systems, online systems.
cores. Large disks seconds sharing sharing operating system.
(IC) 100 MB. 1 MB main
memory
300 nano Time sharing Fortran 77 Pascal, ADA Personal computers,
Fourth 1980-til Large scale Semiconductor memory distributed systems.
now integrated circuits, Winchester disk. 10 MB seconds networks. Cobol-74
Integrated CAD/CAM
Micro-processor disks main memory
Real time control.
1000 MB disks Graphics oriented
system.
Information management
Firth coming KIPS (Knowledge) natural language,
Infromation
processing speech
Processing character, and image
Systems) and WLSI recognition and artificial
(Very-Very Large intelligence.
Scale Integration)
 N
Overvievw of Types of Computers with Key Features
Types of Computers Mainframe
Notebook Work Station Supercomputer Client Server
Key Features Personal Computer System
Size Large (needs a Large (needs a Generally small (may be Generally large
Very small (can Small (can be Medium (slightly large if it also plays the
be placed on placed on an office |larger than PC) large room) large room)
ones lap) table)_ role of a server)
Processing power |Low Low High Higher Highest Generally low Generally high
Main memory Generally low
Low Low |High Higher Highest Generally high
capacity
Hard disk storage |Low Low High Highest Higher Generally low Generally high
capacity
Has its own Yes Yes Generally no Generally no
monitor, key-
Yes Yes Generally no
board, and mouse
for user interface
Display facility Foldable flat Medium size | Large-screen Generally not Generally not Medium to large screen Generally not
Screen, small display screen colour monitor available available monitor available
display which can display
high-resolution
graphics
Single multiple Single Generally single Generally multiple Multiple Multiple Generally single Generally multiple
processors
Single multiple Single Single Generally single Multiple Multitiple Single Multiple
user oriented
Popular operating MS-DOS, MS-DOS Unix or a variation A variation of A variation of Unix, MS-DOS, MS-Windows, Windows-NT Unix
systems MS-Windows MS-Windows, of it Unix, of of proprietary. Windows-NT, Linux, Unix or its variation. or
Windows-NT, Linux proprietary proprietary
|Unix
Popular usage Word Personal Computing need of Data and Large processor Provide highly Manager a
processing computing needs engineers, information
spreadsheet, of individuals either architects, user-friendly interface in shared resource

data entry. in their working

processing of 1/O applications Iike a client-server and provide a set
designers |bound complexscientific
computing environment of shared user
preparing places or at their Simulation of applications simulations services in a
presentation homes and complex scientific client-server
materials and education and and engineering
Computing
making entertainment of problems and environment
presentations children and adults visualising the
results of simulation
and multimedia
applications
Major vendors IBM, Compaq. | IBM, Apple Sun Micro systems IBM, DEC Cray, IBM, SiliconSame as PC and work Same as work
Siemens, Compaq,. Dell, BM, DEC. Graphics, Fujitsu, station vendors station,
Toshiba Zenith, Siemens, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, C-DAC mainframe
Toshiba, Hewlett- Silicon Graphics system, and
Packard / super computer
vendors
 LET US Practice
How many cycles per second are in 1 GHz? 13. A set of instructions telling the computer what to do
(a) 1000 (b) 1000000 is called
(c) 1000000000
(d) 100000 (a) mentor (b) instructor
output device? (c) compiler (d) programme
9.Which is not a n
(a) Monitor (b) Printer 14. Which of the following is used as a primary storage
(c) Speaker (d) Mouse device?
3. Where does your PC store your programmes when (a) Magnetic DRUM (b) PROM
(c) Floppy disk (d) All of these
the power is off?
(a) Dramn (b) Hard disk 15. Where is your BIOS stored?
(c) Cache (d) Monitor (a) DRAM (b) SDRAM
(c) Flash (d) Hard disk
of 3.5 inch floppy disk is
4. The capacity
(a) 1.40 MMB (b) 1.40 GB 16. Which is not an input device?
(c) 1.44 MB (d) 1.44 GB (b) Monitor
(a) Keyboard
(c) Touch screen (d) Mouse
5. Which of the following is first generation of
computer? 17. Which device can understand difference between
(a) EDSAC (b) IBM-1400 data and programmes?
(c) CDC-1604 (d) ICL-2900 (a) Input device (b) Output device

6. Dot matrix is a type of (c) Memory (d) Microprocessor

(a) tape (b) printer 18. Which is the fastest?
(c) disk (d) bus (a) Hard disk (b) Flash
(c) RDRAM (d) CD drive
7. Which electronic component was use in first
generation? 19. The number of pixels displayed on a screen is known
(a) Vacuum tubes (b) Transistors as the screen
(c) IC chips (d) All of these (a) resolution (b) colour depth
(c) refresh rate (d) viewing size
the computer is
8. The blinking symbol on screen

20. Instructions and memory address are represented

called the
(a) mouse (b) logo by
(d) cursor (a) charácter code (b) binary code
c) hand (c) binary word (d) parity bit
9. The personal computer industry was started by
21. Which of the following is not a typical peripheral
(a) Microsoft (b) Apple part?
(c) Compaq (d) Wipro
(a) USB (b) Parallel
10. Programmes stored in ROM are called (c) Serial (d) DVD
(b) Firmware
(a) Hardware 22. What is the latest write-once optical storage media?
(c) Software (d) All of these
(a) Digital paper (b) Magneto-optical disk
scanners?
.Which of the following term is related with (c)WORM disk (d) CD-ROM disk
(b) TWAIN
(a) Laser 23. Which technology is used in compact disks?
(d) Media
c) Cartridge (a) Mechanical (b) Electrical
Primary memory stores (c) Electro-magnetic (d) Laser
(a) data 24. Which of the following memories needs refresh?
(D) programmes (a) DRAM (b) RAM
(c) results (c) SRAM (d) All of these
(d) All of the above
14
Computer Awaren.
enes
25. What kind of a dot pitch (dp) monitor is better to 32. ALUJis
have?
(a) Medium (a) Array Logic Unit
(c) Application Logic Unit
(b) Arithmetic Logic Uni
(d) None ofthese
(b) Higher
(c) Lower (d) None of these
26. What is the 33. FORTRAN is
name of the computer terminal which (b) Format Translation
(a) File Translation
gives paper printout? (c) Formula Translation (d) Floppy Translation
(a) Display screen (b) Soft copy terminal 34. The most important advantage of a video disk
(c) Hard copy terminal (d) Plotter is
(a) compactness (b) potential capacity
27. What is cache
memory? c) durability
(d) cost effectiveness
(a) Extra memory used for overflow from your hard disk
A place to store secret information like 35. A Compact Disk (CD) is a data storage of the tue
(b) passwords type
(c) It is same as your hard disk drive (a) magnetic (6) optical
(d) Fast memory used for data that is accessed often (C) electrical (d) electro-mechanical
36. The IC chip, used in computers, is made of
28. What is PCI?
(b) iron oxide
(a) A kind of printer (a) chromium
(d) silicon
(b) A type of microproessor (c) silica
(c) A type of system bus 37. What digits are representive of all binary number
(d) An input/output device
(a) (b1
29. What does CPU stand for? (C) 0 and 1 (d)3
(a) Computer Processing Unit 38. The act of retrieving existing data from memory
(b) Central Processing Unit
called
(c) Central Programming Unit (b) Read from
(a) Read-out
(d) Computer Programme Unit (d) All of these
(c) Read
30. What does ROM stand for? 39. A computer programme that converts an entire
(a) Random Only Memory (b) Read Only Memory program into machine language is called a/an
(c) Read On Memory (d) None of the above
(a) interpreter (b) simulator
81. What does GUI stand for? (c) complier (d) commander
(a) Genuine Unit Invention 40. The two kinds of main memory are
(b) Graphical Uses Imagination
(a) primary and secondary (b) random and sequential
(c) Graphical Unit Interface
(c) ROM and RAM (d) All of these
(d) Graphical User Interface

Answers
1 (c) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a) 6. (b) 7. (a) 8. (d) 9. (b) 10.(b)
11. (b) 12. (d) 13. (d) 14. (b) 15. (c) 16. (b) 17. (d) 18. (c) 19. (a) 20.(b)
21. (d) 22. (d) 23. (d) 24. (a) 25. (c) 26. (c) 27. (d) 28. (c) 29. (b) 30. (b)
31. (d) 32. (b) 33. (c) 34. (b) 35. (a) 36. (d) 37. (c) 38. (d) 39. (c) 40. (c)