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Introduction to Computers (b)

Gap-fill exercise

Fill in all the gaps using the AWL words in the list, then press "Check" to check your
answers. Use the "Hint" button to get a free letter if an answer is giving you trouble.
Note that you will lose points if you ask for hints or clues!

   attached      capable      Chapter      chemical      colleague      communicate     
communicating      component      comprehensive      computation      computed
     computer      computers      computing      Computing      consequence     
convert      Corporation      Data      data      device      devices      display     
elements      equation      final      function      functions      Furthermore      Input
     input      instructing      instruction      instructions      involve      involves     
logical      method      normally      output      Output      procedure      Process     
process      processed      Processing      processing      purchased     
purchasing      reactions      require      required      requires      retain     
retaining      similar      straightforward      Structure      structure      task     
tasks      visual   

Basic of a Computer

One of introducing the basic of a is to present it

with a problem to solve. In our case this will be a simple problem, one for which we

would not use a . Suppose we want to find the largest

number in a given set of numbers. If we were to engage a human to

solve this problem, two would be . First, we would have to

provide an . This could be a simple statement, e.g. find the largest

number in this set. Secondly, we would have to provide the list of numbers.

The will also both these in order to solve a

problem. The “ ”, however, will need to be much more detailed than the

one given to a human being. It may perhaps as many as 15 separate

. We shall see the reason for this soon. You should note that
 to perform various a much
more set of details than we when

with each other.

The total set of to perform a given is called a program.

The list of numbers upon which the program works is called the

numbers, or for short. Thus, like the human being a

both and in order to solve a problem. The

difference is that the program are at a much more detailed level.

Memory Unit and Arithmetic Unit

The human a memory in order to (store) the

. So does a . Therefore, one unit of a
must be a Memory Unit or store. However, no can take

place in this unit. It is just a for storing or information.

If we recall, Charles Babbage wished his to perform calculations upon any

he cared to enter. Thus, as a second unit there must be some

which can perform the four basic arithmetical of addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division. This unit is called the Arithmetic Unit, or AU for short. It is in

here that any is performed. This unit is also of comparing

two numbers and deciding which is the smaller, the larger or whether they are equal.
But how do numbers ( ) get into the arithmetic unit from the memory unit?

Control Unit

The purpose of this third and , the Control Unit (or CU), is to

pass numbers or other forms of into the arithmetic unit and then “inform” this
unit which arithmetic or comparison to perform. Once the arithmetic unit
has the result, the control unit passes it into the memory. The control unit,
then, is the unit which controls the passage of to and from the memory and

the AU and, also, decides which arithmetic operation the program

has asked for.

These three units, the memory, the arithmetic unit and the control unit, are known
collectively as the Central Unit, or CPU for short. These are the three
units common to all , no matter how large or small, how cheap or

expensive.

and

How does a human being put information ( or program )

into the memory of the central unit? This is the purpose of a special
called an , which is also under the control of the control

unit. An will the everyday characters which we use,

into binary and pass them into the memory unit.

Once the program has the ready to produce results, we

would like to see them. We would find it difficult to read long strings of binary noughts
and ones and, in , an is used to

binary patterns inside the CPU into our everyday characters. That is, it performs the
opposite to an .

There are many different types of and . Some are

more suitable than others in given applications. 4 discuses the various

types in detail. Here we need mention just two common . The Keyboard
is used for putting in information. This is very
to an ordinary QWERTY typewriter (the first six letters being q-w-e-r-t-y),
except that it has additional keys by which the user can with the
. Often, the keyboard has a screen which can
any information typed in by the user, or any information sent out by the central
unit. Together, the keyboard and screen are called a VDU (

unit). If a printed copy is , so that we can keep a record of

, then a hardcopy (i.e. printed) is required.

The and are not part of the main CPU. They are on
the periphery (edge) and are sometimes called peripheral .

- - System

If we look at a diagram of a , we see that the is

nothing other than a simple - - system. This is
something which we are all familiar with in many everyday situations. For example,
baking a cake. The is the collecting together of the various ingredients, the

is the mixing and the cooking, the is the edible cake.

is not a magical , it is a
- - , in essence simpler to
understand than the that go on inside a cake in the oven.

More about the Memory

The main memory of a (i.e. the memory unit) can often account for 50% of
the total cost of the CPU. For this reason, its size is deliberately limited. The larger the
main memory, the more expensive the becomes. To put this another way,
manufacturers frequently limit the size of the memory in order to bring the
within the power of the market to which they are selling.

Some , such as the Control (CDC)

, have a very large memory and can contain as many as one million
characters. This may appear to be large but, in practice, it is not large enough to contain
all the programs and for which a is used. A payroll application
for a company with about a thousand employees will several hundred
thousands of characters just to hold all the . The program
themselves will run into many thousands. ,a is not
simply to run a payroll; there will be invoicing, stock control, sales

forecasting programs, as well as all the each program . These

cannot all be held inside the main memory. In any case, information inside the
is lost every time the machine is switched off, rather like a television
screen which loses its information (picture) when turned off.

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