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Chapter 4A: Transforming Data Into Information

This document discusses how computers represent and process data. It covers number systems like binary and decimal, how bits and bytes are used to represent data, text encoding standards, components like the CPU and memory that process data, and factors that can affect processing speed like cache memory, registers, and bus speeds.

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fsemester1
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11 views16 pages

Chapter 4A: Transforming Data Into Information

This document discusses how computers represent and process data. It covers number systems like binary and decimal, how bits and bytes are used to represent data, text encoding standards, components like the CPU and memory that process data, and factors that can affect processing speed like cache memory, registers, and bus speeds.

Uploaded by

fsemester1
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter 4A

Transforming Data Into


Information

McGraw-Hill Technology Education Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
How Computers Represent Data
• Number systems
– A manner of counting
– Several different number systems exist
• Decimal number system
– Used by humans to count
– Contains ten distinct digits
– Digits combine to make larger numbers

5A-2
How Computers Represent Data
• Binary number system
– Used by computers to count
– Two distinct digits, 0 and 1
– 0 and 1 combine to make numbers
• Bits and bytes
– Binary numbers are made of bits
– Bit represents a switch
– A byte is 8 bits
– Byte represents one character

5A-3
How Computers Represent Data
• Text codes
– Converts letters into binary
– Standard codes necessary for data transfer
– ASCII
• American English symbols
– Extended ASCII
• Graphics and other symbols
– Unicode
• All languages on the planet

5A-4
How Computers Process Data
• The CPU
– Central Processing Unit
– Brain of the computer
– Control unit
• Controls resources in computer
• Instruction set
– Arithmetic logic unit
• Simple math operations
• Registers

5A-5
How Computers Process Data
• Machine cycles
– Steps by CPU to process data
– Instruction cycle
• CPU gets the instruction
– Execution cycle
• CPU performs the instruction
– Billions of cycles per second
– Pipelining processes more data
– Multitasking allows multiple instructions

5A-6
How Computers Process Data
• Memory
– Stores open programs and data
– Small chips on the motherboard
– More memory makes a computer faster
• Nonvolatile memory
– Holds data when power is off
– Read Only Memory (ROM)
– Basic Input Output System (BIOS)
– Power On Self Test (POST)

5A-7
How Computers Process Data
• Flash memory
– Data is stored using physical switches
– Special form of nonvolatile memory
– Camera cards, USB key chains
• Volatile memory
– Requires power to hold data
– Random Access Memory (RAM)
– Data in RAM has an address
– CPU reads data using the address
– CPU can read any address
5A-8
Affecting Processing Speed
• Registers
– Number of bits processor can handle
– Word size
– Larger indicates more powerful computer
– Increase by purchasing new CPU

5A-9
Affecting Processing Speed
• Virtual RAM
– Computer is out of actual RAM
– File that emulates RAM
– Computer swaps data to virtual RAM
• Least recently used data is moved

5A-10
Affecting Processing Speed
• The computer’s internal clock
– Quartz crystal
– Every tick causes a cycle
– Speeds measured in Hertz (Hz)
• Modern machines use Giga Hertz (GHz)

5A-11
Affecting Processing Speed
• The bus
– Electronic pathway between components
– Expansion bus connects to peripherals
– System bus connects CPU and RAM
– Bus width is measured in bits
– Speed is tied to the clock

5A-12
Affecting Processing Speed
• External bus standards
– Industry Standard Architecture (ISA)
– Local bus
– Peripheral control interface
– Accelerated graphics port
– Universal serial bus
– IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
– PC Card

5A-13
Affecting Processing Speed
• Peripheral control interface (PCI)
– Connects modems and sound cards
– Found in most modern computers
• Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
– Connects video card to motherboard
– Extremely fast bus
– Found in all modern computers

5A-14
Affecting Processing Speed
• Universal Serial Bus (USB)
– Connects external devices
– Hot swappable
– Allows up to 127 devices
– Cameras, printers, and scanners
• PC Card
– Used on laptops
– Hot swappable
– Devices are the size of a credit card

5A-15
Affecting Processing Speed
• Cache memory
– Very fast memory
– Holds common or recently used data
– Speeds up computer processing
– Most computers have several caches
– L1 holds recently used data
– L2 holds upcoming data
– L3 holds possible upcoming data

5A-16

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