PARTS OF A

COMPUTER

Ramy Lloyd Lotilla

Discussant

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Motherboard

– Motherboard, also called system board, is the main printed circuit board in
most computers. It allows communicating between many crucial electronic
components of a system, such as the central processing unit and memory.
– Motherboard, as its name suggests, is often referred to as the mother of all
components attached to it, which often include peripherals, interface cards,
sound cards, hard drives, network cards, and so on.
– Most motherboards in computer are expandable. In this situation, you can
replace the components as long as they are compatible. For example, you can
choose to replace the hard drive with a larger one or with SSD.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
CPU

– The CPU, also called central processor, is the electronic circuitry within a
computer that executes instructions that make up a computer program. The
CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling and input/output operations
specified by the instructions in the program.
– The CPU is the brain of the computer, so you can know its importance. Its main
job is to carry out the instructions of computer programs that are stored in
computer memory. In addition, computer performance may be affected by the
CPU.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

CPU

– The CPU is usually a two-inch ceramic square with a silicon chip located inside.
The chip is usually about the size of a thumbnail. The CPU fits into the
motherboard's CPU socket, which is covered by the heat sink, an object that
absorbs heat from the CPU.
– A processor's speed is measured in megahertz (MHz), or millions of instructions
per second; and gigahertz (GHz), or billions of instructions per second. A faster
processor can execute instructions more quickly. However, the actual speed of
the computer depends on the speed of many different components—not just
the processor.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
CPU

– Some computations may be offloaded to other parts of the computer, but the
CPU remains the central area of computation
– Each modern CPU consists of hundreds of millions of individual switches, each
switch physically constructed as a transistor, with only two states: on or off
– Recent CPU’s in mainstream PC’s are multiple-core, which means two or more
CPU units on the same chip
– Multiple core computers are most efficient when the software is able to
support parallel computing, dividing tasks up to run separately on each core

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

x86 CPU’s

o Based on the old classics PC CPU’s are organized around a very basic instruction
set called x86 that dates all the way back to 1978
o Became the basis for the very first IBM PC in the early 80’s
o Intel dominant for PC (x86) CPU’s
o AMD in 2nd place for PC’s, offers excellent value and full x86 compatibility, and
latest Ryzen CPU competes well with Intel
o All major PC operating systems – Windows, Mac and Linux – run on the x86
instruction set

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Intel PC CPU’s – Mainstream

Mainstream Chip Family: Core i series

– Core: Current family of Intel CPU’s from the Core family
– i9: New high end; i7: Traditional high end, found in more expensive PC’s; i5: Midrange, plenty
of computing power for most; i3: The lower end, but still sufficient for most tasks
– Each new generation of Intel CPU’s in the Core family maintains the same (now i9), i7, i5 and
i3 branding, even with significant increases in performance across generations
– Always know what generation of CPU you purchase, since the i3, i5, and i7 branding stays the
same across generations
– Coffee Lake: 8th generation Core CPU, released early 2018
– Identify by the first number of the CPU identifier, e.g., i7-8650U for an 8th generation Intel
Core CPU

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Other Intel PC CPU’s

From the high end to the low end

– Xeon: High-end series of Intel chips for workstations/servers
– Core X-series announced May 2017, more powerful than mainstream Core
CPU’s, includes the brand new i9 chip
– Pentium: Older, hotter, less efficient design, but still produced
– Celeron, which Intel calls “Affordable entry level computing”: CPU offered in
only the cheapest systems

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
RAM (Random Access
Memory)
– RAM is your system's short-term memory. Whenever your computer performs
calculations, it temporarily stores the data in the RAM until it is needed.
– This short-term memory disappears when the computer is turned off. If you're
working on a document, spreadsheet, or other type of file, you'll need to save it to
avoid losing it. When you save a file, the data is written to the hard drive, which acts
as long-term storage.
– RAM is measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB). The more RAM you have,
the more things your computer can do at the same time. If you don't have enough
RAM, you may notice that your computer is sluggish when you have several
programs open. Because of this, many people add extra RAM to their computers to
improve performance.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Hard Drive

– Hard drive is used to store programs and files on your computer. The traditional
hard drive would be the HDD (hard disk drive) which is comprised of a series of
magnetized disks. Newer hard drives are called SSD which use electrical circuits to
store data. In general, SSDs (solid state drives) are faster than traditional HDDs.
– The hard drive is where your software, documents, and other files are stored. The
hard drive is long-term storage, which means the data is still saved even if you turn
the computer off or unplug it.
– When you run a program or open a file, the computer copies some of the data from
the hard drive onto the RAM. When you save a file, the data is copied back to the
hard drive. The faster the hard drive, the faster your computer can start up and load
programs.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Expansion Cards

– Most computers have expansion slots on the motherboard that allow you to
add various types of expansion cards. These are sometimes called PCI
(peripheral component interconnect) cards. You may never need to add any PCI
cards because most motherboards have built-in video, sound, network, and
other capabilities.
– However, if you want to boost the performance of your computer or update the
capabilities of an older computer, you can always add one or more cards.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Graphics Card

– There are two different types of graphic card and they are integrated or
expansion. The integrated video card is connected directly to the motherboard
and it is a part of the processor. The expansion card is a separate card that is
connected to another part of the motherboard.
– The major work of the graphics card is to create graphics and images that can
be shown on a monitor. If your computer does not have the graphics card, you
will not see the data and the computer would be useless.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

– The video card is responsible for what you see on the monitor. Most computers
have a GPU (graphics processing unit) built into the motherboard instead of
having a separate video card. If you like playing graphics-intensive games, you
can add a faster video card to one of the expansion slots to get better
performance.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Sound Card

– It process audio and route any input audio to proper output.

– The sound card—also called an audio card—is responsible for what you hear in
the speakers or headphones. Most motherboards have integrated sound, but
you can upgrade to a dedicated sound card for higher-quality sound.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Network Card

– The network card allows your computer to communicate over a network and
access the Internet. It can either connect with an Ethernet cable or through a
wireless connection (often called Wi-Fi). Many motherboards have built-in
network connections, and a network card can also be added to an expansion
slot.
– Many computers have an integrated network card into the motherboard. If you
are using a laptop, you can also choose to connect Wi-Fi networks through a Wi-
Fi card which is usually close to the outer edges of the devices.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Bluetooth card (or adapter)

– Bluetooth is a technology for wireless communication over short distances. It's

often used in computers to communicate with wireless keyboards, mice, and
printers. It's commonly built into the motherboard or included in a wireless
network card. For computers that don't have Bluetooth, you can purchase a USB
adapter, often called a dongle.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Input Devices

These are devices used for entering data or instructions to the central processing unit. Some of the input devices are
the following:
– Keyboard – The keyboard is used for entering data into the computer system. It can type words, numbers and
symbols.
– Mouse – The mouse is a pointing device. You can give input to the computer with the help of the mouse.
– Joystick – A joystick makes computer games a lot more fun. When it is moved, it passes information to the
computer.
– Microphone – A microphone is the mike that can be attached to a computer. It allows you to input sounds like
speech and songs into the computer. You can record your voice with the help of a microphone.
– Web Camera – A web camera is used to take live photos videos. You can save them in the computer.
– Scanner – A scanner copies pictures and pages, and turns them into images that can be saved on a computer.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Mouse alternatives

– There are other devices that can do the same thing as a mouse. Many people
find them easier to use, and they also require less desk space than a traditional
mouse. The most common mouse alternatives are below.
– Trackball: A trackball has a ball that can rotate freely. Instead of moving the
device like a mouse, you can roll the ball with your thumb to move the pointer.
– Touchpad: A touchpad—also called a trackpad—is a touch-sensitive pad that
lets you control the pointer by making a drawing motion with your finger.
Touchpads are common on laptop computers.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Output Devices

– Show the results of processing

– Printer – A printer prints the results of your work from the computer screen on
a sheet of paper.
– Speakers – The speakers are the output devices that produce different types of
sounds processed by the computer. You can listen to songs or speeches stored
in the computer with the help of speakers.
– Headphone – You can listen to music or any sound from a computer with the
help of headphones without disturbing others.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Monitor

• The monitor works with a video card, located inside the computer case, to
display images and text on the screen. Most monitors have control buttons that
allow you to change your monitor's display settings, and some monitors also
have built-in speakers.
• Newer monitors usually have LCD (liquid crystal display) or LED (light-emitting
diode) displays. These can be made very thin, and they are often called flat-
panel displays. Older monitors use CRT (cathode ray tube) displays. CRT
monitors are much larger and heavier, and they take up more desk space.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

PSU (Power Supply Unit)

– It supplies power to components of the computer. It converts the power from

the wall outlet to the type of power needed by the computer. It sends power
through cables to the motherboard and other components.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Computer Ports

– The ports enable you to connect some computer accessories, such as a mouse,
keyboard, external hard drive and so on. So, it would be an essential part of the
computer.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Cooling System

– It works as the heat ventilation generated by the system. Common setup is

using fans and heat-sink pipes which vents the heat from CPU to fan. Additional
cooling, if required, people use hydro-cooling system which use liquid to
transfer heat.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Math 414 Computers in Mathematics
Computer Case

• The computer case is the metal and plastic box that contains the main
components of the computer, including the motherboard, central processing
unit (CPU), and power supply. The front of the case usually has an On/Off
button and one or more optical drives.
• Computer cases come in different shapes and sizes. A desktop case lies flat on a
desk, and the monitor usually sits on top of it. A tower case is tall and sits next
to the monitor or on the floor. All-in-one computers come with the internal
components built into the monitor, which eliminates the need for a separate
case.

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics

Reflection

Instruction: Answer each item in NOT less than 200 words.

1. What do you think are the disadvantages of using a computer in the classroom?
2. Give 3 ethical issues when using technology inside the classroom and comprehensively
discuss each.
3. Although most teachers nowadays are computer literate, still there are many who do not use
computer technology/applications in their lessons. What measures could be done by schools
to encourage teachers to utilize technology in the classroom?
4. During this time of pandemic, the use of technology is becoming more important than ever.
However, many of the students, especially in the public schools, have no gadgets like
smartphones and computers and have no access to the internet. Aside from the modules,
what other strategies/activities would you do to reach out to your students and help them in
learning mathematics?

Math 414 Computers in Mathematics