A.

INTRODUCTION
BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE COMPUTER

A computer is an electronic device capable of manipulating number and

symbols, first taking input, processing it, storing and giving out output under a
control of set instructions which is known as a program. A general purpose
computer requires the following hardware components: memory, storage
device (hard disk drive), input device (keyboard, mouse etc.), output device
(screen, printer etc.) and central processing unit (CPU). Many other
components are involved in addition to the listed components to work
together efficiently.

FUNCTIONS OF THE COMPUTER

 Takes data as input
 Stores data in memory
 Process data and converts into useful information
 Generates output

Any kind of computers consists of HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE.

Hardware: Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements that
constitutes a computer system. Computer hardware refers to the physical
parts or components of a computer such as the monitor, mouse, keyboard,
computer data storage, hard drive disk (HDD), system unit (graphic cards,
sound cards, memory, motherboard and chips), etc. all of which are physical
objects that can be touched.
Software is a generic term for organized collections of computer data and
instructions, often broken into two major categories: system software that
provides the basic non task-specific functions of the computer, and
application software which is used by users to accomplish specific tasks.

A computer hardware consists of;

Input device is any peripheral (piece of computer hardware

equipment to provide data and control signals to an information processing
system such as a computer or other information appliance. Input device
Translate data from form that humans understand to one that the computer
can work with. Most common are keyboard and mouse Example of Input
Devices:- 1. Keyboard 2. Mouse (pointing device) 3. 4. Touch screen 5.
Scanner 6. Webcam 7. Touch pads 8. MIDI keyboard 9. 10.Graphics Tablets
11.Cameras 12.Pen Input 13.Video Capture Hardware 14.Microphone
15.Trackballs 16.Barcode reader 17.Digital camera 18.Joystick 19.Gamepad
20.Electronic Whiteboard

An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to

communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information
processing system (such as a computer) which converts the electronically
generated information into human readable form. Example on Output
Devices: 1. Monitor 2. LCD Projection Panels 3. Printers (all types) 4.
Computer Output Microfilm (COM) 5. Plotter 6. Speaker(s) 7. Projector

Central Processing Unit (CPU) A CPU is brain of a computer. It is responsible

for all functions and processes. Regarding computing power, the CPU is the
most important element of a computer system. It comprises of ARITHMETIC
LOGIC UNIT (ALU) and CONTROL UNIT (CU) .

Primary Memory:-

1. RAM: Random Access Memory (RAM) is a memory scheme within the

computer system responsible for storing data on a temporary basis, so that it
can be promptly accessed by the processor as and when needed

2. ROM (Read Only Memory): ROM is a permanent form of storage. ROM stays
active regardless of whether power supply to it is turned on or off.

Secondary Memory:- Stores data and programs permanently :its retained

after the power is turned off. It includes

:1. Hard disk

2.Optical disk

3.Flash disk

HOW TO ENTER DATA AND PRODUCE INFORMATION IN A COMPUTER.

(DATA PROCESSING)
Data: Is a collection of raw facts, figures or instructions that do not have much
meaning to the user.
Data may be in form of numbers, alphabets/letters or symbols, and can be
processed to produce information.

Information: is the data which has been refined, summarized & manipulated
in the way you want it, or into a more meaningful form for decision-making.
The information must be accurate, timely, complete and relevant.

Data Processing:
It is the process of collecting all items of data together & converting them into
information.

Data processing is simply the conversion of raw data to meaningful

information through a process. Data is manipulated to produce results that
lead to a resolution of a problem or improvement of an existing situation.
Similar to a production process, it follows a cycle where inputs (raw data) are
fed to a process (computer systems, software, etc.) to produce output
(information and insights).

Stages of the Data Processing Cycle

1) Collection is the first stage of the cycle, and is very crucial, since the quality
of data collected will impact heavily on the output. The collection process
needs to ensure that the data gathered are both defined and accurate, so that
subsequent decisions based on the findings are valid. This stage provides both
the baseline from which to measure, and a target on what to improve.
Some types of data collection include census (data collection about everything
in a group or statistical population), sample survey (collection method that
includes only part of the total population), and administrative by-product
(data collection is a byproduct of an organization’s day-to-day operations).

2) Preparation is the manipulation of data into a form suitable for further

analysis and processing. Raw data cannot be processed and must be checked
for accuracy. Preparation is about constructing a dataset from one or more
data sources to be used for further exploration and processing. Analyzing data
that has not been carefully screened for problems can produce highly
misleading results that are heavily dependent on the quality of data prepared.
3) Input is the task where verified data is coded or converted into machine
readable form so that it can be processed through a computer. Data entry is
done through the use of a keyboard, digitizer, scanner, or data entry from an
existing source. This time-consuming process requires speed and accuracy.
Most data need to follow a formal and strict syntax since a great deal of
processing power is required to breakdown the complex data at this stage.
Due to the costs, many businesses are resorting to outsource this stage.
4) Processing is when the data is subjected to various means and methods of
manipulation, the point where a computer program is being executed, and it
contains the program code and its current activity. The process may be made
up of multiple threads of execution that simultaneously execute instructions,
depending on the operating system. While a computer program is a passive
collection of instructions, a process is the actual execution of those
instructions. Many software programs are available for processing large
volumes of data within very short periods.
5) Output and interpretation is the stage where processed information is
now transmitted to the user. Output is presented to users in various report
formats like printed report, audio, video, or on monitor. Output need to be
interpreted so that it can provide meaningful information that will guide
future decisions of the company.
6) Storage is the last stage in the data processing cycle, where data,
instruction and information are held for future use. The importance of this
cycle is that it allows quick access and retrieval of the processed information,
allowing it to be passed on to the next stage directly, when needed. Every
computer uses storage to hold system and application software.

Computer is a device operated upon information or data. It stores data and

does arithmetic and logic operations and produces output in desired format.
Compute receives data ,process and produces output and stores it for further
references.

c. CONCLUSION

A block of diagram of basic computer components with the following

functional units:
REFERENCES;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_processing

https://planningtank.com/computer-applications/data-processing

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/computer-science/basic-structure-of-a-
computer-system-computer-science-essay.php

https://medium.com/@peerxp/the-6-stages-of-data-processing-cycle-
3c2927c466ff