Unit 1

Chapter 1 (1.1 , 1.2 )

Reference 3
Introduction to Computer Systems
 Hardware
 CPU
 Memory
 Input Devices
 Output Devices

 Software
 What is a Program
 What is a Software

 Move from Problem to Program

 Programming Language
 Levels of Programming Language
 Compiler
Introduction to Computer Systems
 Hardware

M e m o ry

In p u t O u tpu t
D evic e s D evic e s

C PU
 Hardware

CPU - central processing unit

 Makes decisions, performs computations,
 and delegates input/output requests

Memory: Stores information

Main memory: RAM, e.g. 256 MB RAM
Secondary memory: hard disk, e.g. 20GB

Input devices
Gets information from the user to the computer

Output devices
Sends information
 from computer to the user
 Software
What is a Program?
Human work model

• Imagine that you have invited your friend to your house.

• To help her you give her detailed instructions on how to reach your
house. Such a set of instructions might look like the following:
• Take the bus route number 427.
• Get down at “Saket”.
• Cross the road.
• Go straight for 100 meters.
• Take a left turn.
• Go about 50 meters to reach my house at 37, J Block.
 Software
What is a Program?
A sequence of instructions

An algorithm A program
(in human language) (in computer language)

Computer work model

A program is a set of instructions carried out by a computer to accomplish a

specific task.
 Software
What is a Software?
A set of programs is called a Software

 Application software
 Programs that are designed to perform specific tasks

 System software
 Programs that support the execution and development
of other programs
 Operating systems
 Translation systems (compilers & linkers)
 Moving from Problem to Program
Programming Language
Programming is the preparation and writing of detailed set of
instructions for computers.

Levels of Programming Languages

• Machine binary language: unintelligible
• Low-level assembly language
– Mnemonic names for machine operations
– Explicit manipulation of memory addresses
– Machine-dependent
• High-level language
– Readable
– Machine-independent
 Moving from Problem to Program

Programming Language?

Machine binary language Low-level assembly High-level

C++ is a high level programming language

 Moving from Problem to Program
Compiler
A program has to be written in a language that can be
understood by a computer.

Programmers write their programs in a high level programming

language such as C++, FORTRAN or Java and

then use a compiler to translate their code into machine

language code

that will run on the machine they are using.

A program written in high-level programming language (say, C++ program)

COMPILER (for example, g++)

A low-level (machine language) program that is understandable by a computer

Moving from Problem to Program

Compiler