Α ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟΥ

CHAPTER DIGITAL WORLD

 INTRODUCTION

 What does the term “digital” mean?

 What is a digital device?
 Why is a computer referred to as a
digital machine?
 What does the expression “data is
stored in digital form” mean?
 1.1 Digital-Analogue

digit = «ψηφίον» = πετραδάκι

 1.1 Digital-Analogue

Analogue :a system that Digital :a system that has a

has continuous values set of discrete values
 1.1 Digital-Analogue

Analogue : On an uphill road,

Digital : On a ladder, the
the height increases, from the
height increases, from the
lowest up to the highest point,
lowest to the highest point, by
taking on all intermediate
the exact height of each step
values
 1.2 The computer
as a digital device

 The computer is a device

that runs with electrical power.

 The manufacturers of the first computers

(1940) confronted a serious problem:
They wanted to perform arithmetical
calculations ,but the use of the decimal
arithmetic system would make ​
the
manufacturing complex.
 1.2 The computer
as a digital device

state 0 state 1
absence of electric power presence of electric power
 1.2 The computer
as a digital device

 The computer is digital because it has a set

of discrete values (only two)

 Binary digits 0 and 1 correspond to the two

states that are “understood” by a computer

 A bit (binary digit) takes the values 0 or 1

and it is the basic unit of information in
computing
 1.2 The computer
as a digital device

10 0 0 0100010
01010

0
01
01
01
01 0 1 0 10 1 01001
01
0101
0010
1010
1001
11

Computer data (numbers, characters, pictures,

sounds...)are represented as combinations of 0s and
1s
 1.3 Representation of symbols

The Encoding :

In order to represent text in the computer,

we have to pair letters and symbols

that we use in writing

with a unique combination of two symbols:

0 and 1
 1.3 Representation of symbols

 Before the appearance of computers, a

similar code had been used with success

 with combinations of "dots" and

"dashes". ..
 1.3 Representation of symbols

The Morse code (Samuel Morse, 1843)

Similar techniques were used by the manufacturers

of computers in order to code letters with 0 and 1
 1.3 Representation of symbols

What is the number of 0s and 1s that we need in order

to assign each symbol to a unique sequence of 0s and
1s?

Combinations Possible combinations Number of different

of digits 0 and 1 symbols we can match

per two 00, 01, 10, 11 22 = 4

000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 101, 110,
per three
111
23 = 8

per four 0000, 0001, 0010, ….., 1110, 1111 24 = 16

00000000, 00000001, 00000010, ….,

Per eight
…., 11111110, 11111111
28 = 256
 1.3 Representation of symbols

 The need for a universal code for all of the symbols used by
computers created the ASCII code

 ASCII: 256 different characters are encoded

Character Symbolism Character Symbolism

A 01000001 E 01000101

B 01000010 F 01000110

C 01000011 G 01000111

D 01000100 H 01001000
 1.3 Representation of symbols

 Encoding of letter "B“ 01000010

 The word “BOOK” is coded on a computer by using digits 0 and
1 as this:

B O O K

01000010 01001111 01001111 01001011

 1.3 Representation of symbols

 In order to measure the capacity of storage

means and memory easily, a new unit of
measurement was created: the Byte

 A Byte corresponds in the size of one

character(letter, digit, point of punctuation …)

 1 Byte = 8 bits
 1.3 Representation of symbols

Multiples of Byte
 1 Kilobyte = 1 KB = 210 Byte = 1024 Byte ~ 1.000
Byte

 1 Megabyte = 1 MB = 220 B = 1024 KB ~ 1.000 KB

 1 Gigabyte = 1 GB = 230 B = 1024 MB ~ 1.000 MB

 1 Terabyte = 1 TB = 240 B = 1024 GB ~ 1.000 GB

 1.3 Representation of symbols

Character Symbolism Character Symbolism

A 01000001 E 01000101

B 01000010 F 01000110

C 01000011 G 01000111

D 01000100 H 01001000
 1.3 Representation of symbols

Question:
How many Bytes or characters is a hard disk that has a
capacity of 800 GB able to store?
 1.4 Representation of pictures

Pictures are divided in pixels.

A pixel in a B/W picture is either black or white.
Representation:
White 0 Black 1

Pixel
 Examples of digitization

 Picture/painting, etc:
The quality of the picture is downgraded.
High analysis in a digital picture gives a lot
of information.
Maintains the same quality over time (ex.
prints of photographic films keep their
colors vivid.)
 Sound:
Remains inalterable over time.
(CD vs vinyl disc)
 It’s a digital world after all…

 The technique of digitization evolves as

technology develops.
 Better techniques have developed.
 Data transmission is becoming easier.
 Data are maintained in inalterable forms.

BUT Nothing compares to

an authentic work of art!
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