Computer Fundamentals & Office Tools Notes
Computer Fundamentals & Office Tools Notes
UNIT - I
Basics of Computers :Definition of a Computer - Characteristics and Applications of Computers - Block
Diagram of a Digital Computer - Classification of Computers based on size and working -Central
Processing Unit-I/O Devices.
Unit II
Primary, Auxiliary and Cache Memory -Memory Devices. Software, Hardware, Firmware and People
ware-Definition and Types of Operating System - Functions of an Operating System - MS-DOS - MS
Windows - Desktop, Computer, Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos, Recycle Bin, Task Bar-Control
Panel.
Unit - IV MS-PowerPoint
Features of PowerPoint-Creating a Blank Presentation - Creating a Presentation using a Template -
Inserting and Deleting Slides in a Presentation-Adding Clip Art/Pictures-Inserting Other Objects,
Audio, Video - Resizing and Scaling of an Object-Slide Transition -Custom Animation
Unit - V MS-Excel
Overview of Excel features-Creating a new worksheet, Selecting cells, Entering and editing Text,
Numbers, Formulae, Referencing cells -Inserting Rows/ Columns-Changing column widths and row
heights, auto format, changing font sizes, colors, shading.
References:
1. ReemaThareja, Fundamentals of Computers, Oxford University Press, India
2. V.Raja Raman, Fundamentals of Computers, Prentice Hall of India.
3. John Walkenbach, HerbTyson, Michael R.Groh and Faithe Wempen, Microsoft Office 2010
Bible Wiley Publishers
Time: 2 hrs Model Question Paper Max. Marks: 50
SECTION A
Answer ALL questions 5 x 10 = 50
1.
(a) What are the uses of Computers? Explain the different parts of a Computer
with its block diagram.
(or)
(b) Explain various Input and Output devices
2.
(a) Write about various Secondary storage devices
(or)
(b) What is an Operating System? What are its functions? Briefly explain
Windows operating system.
3.
(a) Explain various ways of Text formatting in MS-Word
(or)
(b) Explain how to create tables in MS-Word.
4.
(a) Explain how to create a Power Point presentation.
(or)
(b) Explain how to add objects into a Power Point Presentation
5.
(a) What are the features of MS-Excel? Explain how to use formulas in
MS-Excel.
(or)
(b) Explain various ways of formatting work sheets in Excel.
Computer Fundamentals
Computer: It is an electronic device, which takes input from the user in the form of data and
instructions. Then it processes the input as per the users instructions and generates some output that
is displayed before the user and also we can take the printout with the help of printer.
Characteristics of Computers:
The human race developed computers so that it could perform intricate operations, such as
calculation and data processing, or simply for entertainment. Today, much of the worlds
Infrastructure runs on computers and it has profoundly changed our lives, mostly for the better.
Speed: The computers process at an extensively fast rate, at millions of instructions per second. In
few seconds, a computer can perform such a huge task that a normal human being may take days or
even years to complete. The speed of computer is calculated in MHz (Megahertz), that is, one million
instructions per second. At present, a powerful computer can perform billions of operations in just
one second.
Accuracy: Besides the efficiency, the computers are also very accurate. The level of accuracy depends
on the instructions and the type of machines being used. Since the computer is capable of doing only
what it is instructed to do, faulty instructions for data processing may lead to faulty results. This is
known as GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out).
Diligence: Computer, being a machine, does not suffer from the human traits of tiredness and lack of
concentration. If four million of calculations have to be performed, then the computer will perform the
last four-millionth calculation with the same accuracy and speed as the first calculation.
Storage Capability: Computers can store large amounts of data and can recall the required
information almost instantaneously. The main memory of the computer is relatively small it can hold
only a certain amount of information, therefore, the data is stored on secondary storage device such as
magnetic tapes or disks.
Versatility: Computers are quite versatile in nature. It can perform multiple tasks simultaneously
with equal ease. For Example, at one moment it can be used to draft a letter, another moment it can be
used to draft a letter, another moment it can be used to play music and in between, one can print a
document as well.
Resource Sharing: Computers today have the capability to connect with each other. This has made
the costly resources like capability to connect with each other. This has made the sharing of costly
resources like printers possible. Apart from device sharing, data and information can also be shared
among group of computers.
Limitations of Computers:
The computer needs well-defined instructions to perform any operation. Hence, computers are
unable to give any conclusion without going through intermediate steps.
A computers user is limited in areas where qualitative considerations are important. For
instance, it can make plans based on situations and information but it cannot foresee whether
they will succeed or not.
Fifth generation computers will use Super Large Scale Integrated (SLSI) chips, which will result
in the production of microprocessor having millions of electronic components on a single chip.
To store instructions and information require a great amount of storage capacity.
Mega chips may enable the computer to approximate the memory capacity of the human mind.
A computer using parallel processing accesses several instructions at once and works on them
at the same time through use of multiple central processing units.
Artificial Intelligence a series of related technologies the tries to simulate and reproduce
human behaviour, including thinking, speaking and reasoning.
Artificial Intelligence comprises a group of related technologies of Expert Systems (ES), natural
language processing (NLP), Speech recognition, Vision recognition and robotics.
Classification of Computers:
1. Desktop Computers
The most common type of computer.
Sits on the desk or floor.
Performs a variety of tasks.
A small, single-user computer based on a microprocessor.
It is also known as Personal Computer (PC).
2. Workstations
Specialized computer
A Workstation is a high-end microcomputer designed for
technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be
used by one person at a time.
They are commonly connected to a Local area network and
run multi-user operating systems.
The term workstation has also been used to refer to a
mainframe computer or a PC connected to a network.
Popular among scientists, engineers, and animators.
4. Tablet computers
Newest development in portable computers.
Input is through a pen.
Offer all the functionality of a notebook PCs.
Run specialized versions of standard programs.
The ability to use in environments not conducive to a keyboard
and mouse such as lying in bed, low lighting when a lighted
screen is the input source, standing or with one hand.
Higher cost convertible tablet PCs can cost significantly more than their non-tablet
counterparts although this premium has been predicted to fall
Input speed handwriting can be significantly slower than peak typing speeds which
can be as high as 50-150 WPM.
Screen damage risk - Tablet PCs are handled more than conventional laptops yet built
on the same frames and since their screens also serve as input devices (like PDAs).
Lighter weight, lower power models can be functioned.
5. Handheld computers
Very small computers
Popular type is : Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)
Taking note or contact management.
Connects with a computer to exchange data.
Input is through a pen.
PDAs and handheld devices are commonly allowed in the classroom for digital note
taking. Students can spell-check, modify, and amend their class notes or e-notes. Some
educators distribute course material through the use of the internet connectivity or
infrared file sharing functions of the PDA.
6. Smart phones
A Smartphone is a mobile phone offering advanced
capabilities, often with PC-like functionality (PC-mobile handset
convergence)
Include many features: Web, e-mail access or special hardware
(digital camera, music players, )
Hybrid of cell phone and PDA
Examples: Apple iphone, Nokia N95, Nokia N97, Nokia E72,
BlackBerry etc.,
1. Network servers
Centralized computer
Usually a powerful PC with special software and equipment.
All other computers connect
Provides access to network resources
2. Mainframes
Used in large organizations
Handle thousands of users
Users access through a terminal : dump and intelligent
Insurance companies, bank, and airlines Web site.
3. Minicomputers
Power between mainframe and desktop.
Called midrange computers.
Handle hundreds of users.
Used in smaller organizations.
Users access through a terminal.
4. Supercomputers
The most powerful computers made
Handle large and complex calculations
Process trillions of operations per second
Can house thousands of processors.
Found in university, research organizations, forecasting weather...
The latest machine in the series is the PARAM Padma. Others include PARAM 10000 and PARAM
9000/SS. The PARAM 10000 was India's first TFLOPS computer. The major applications of PARAM
10000 are in long-range weather forecasting, remote sensing, drug design and molecular modelling.
PARAMs in the future may well be used for India's space programme. Plans to use it for oil and gas
exploration are also on the line. The PARAM is used in almost all major scientific research institutes in
India. It has also been exported to countries like Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and South Korea.
Applications of Computers:
Science: Scientists have been using computer to develop theories, to analyse, ad test the data. They
can be used to generate detailed studies of how earthquakes affect buildings or pollution affects
weather pattern. Satellite-based applications have not been possible without the use of computers. It
would also not be possible to get the information of our solar system and the cosmos without
computers.
Education: Computers have also revolutionised the whole process of education. Currently, the
classrooms, libraries, and museums are utilising computers to make the education much more
interesting. Unlike recorded television shows, Computer Aided Education (CAE) and Computer Based
Training (CBT) packages are making learning much more interactive.
Medicine and Health Care: Now, doctors are using computers right from diagnosing the illness to
monitoring a patients status during complex surgery. By using automated imaging techniques,
Input Unit: Computers need to receive data and instruction in order to solve any problem. Therefore
we need to input the data and instructions into the computers. The input unit consists of one or more
input devices. Keyboard and mouse are the most commonly used input devices. All the input devices
perform the following functions.
Accept the data and instructions from the outside world.
Convert it to a form that the computer can understand.
Supply the converted data to the computer system for further processing.
Storage Unit: The storage unit of the computer holds data and instructions that are entered through
the input unit, before they are processed. It preserves the intermediate and final results before these
are sent to the output devices. It also saves the data for the later use. The various storage devices of a
computer system are divided into two categories.
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a. Primary Storage: Stores and provides very fast. This memory is generally used to hold the
program being currently executed in the computer, the data being received from the input unit, the
intermediate and final results of the program. The primary memory is temporary in nature. The
data is lost, when the computer is switched off. In order to store the data permanently, the data
has to be transferred to the secondary
memory. Therefore most computers
have limited primary storage capacity.
Ex : RAM
Control Unit: It controls all other units in the computer. The control unit instructs the input unit,
where to store the data after receiving it from the user. It controls the flow of data and instructions
from the storage unit to ALU. It also controls the flow of results from the ALU to the storage unit. The
control unit is generally referred as the central nervous system of the computer that control and
synchronizes its working.
Arithmetic Logical Unit: All calculations are performed in the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) of the
computer. It also does comparison and takes decision. The ALU can perform basic operations such as
addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc., and does logic operations viz., >, <, =, etc.
Whenever calculations are required, the control unit transfers the data from storage unit to ALU once
the computations are done, the results are transferred to the storage unit by the control unit and then
it is send to the output unit for displaying results.
Central Processing Unit: The control unit and ALU of the computer are together known as the
Central Processing Unit (CPU). The CPU is like brain performs the following functions:
It performs all calculations.
It takes all decisions.
It controls all units of the computer.
The heart of the computer, this is the component that actually executes the information. A
central processing unit (CPU) is the electronic circuitry within a computer that carries out the
instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetic, logical, control and
input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions. The computer industry has used the term
"central processing unit" at least since the early 1960s. Traditionally, the term "CPU" refers to a
processor, more specifically to its processing unit and control unit (CU), distinguishing these core
elements of a computer from external components such as main memory and I/O circuitry.
When we start to look at the various components of a CPU and how they function, remember
that this is all about speed. When we use a computer, we want the instructions to be carried out very
fast. As the instructions become more complicated (for example, creating a 3D animation or editing a
video file), we demand more from the CPU. Thus, the technological advances we have seen in
processor technology have largely been driven by the need for speed.
Output Unit: The output unit of a computer provides the information and results of a computation to
outside world. Printers, Visual Display Unit (VDU) or Monitors are the commonly used output devices.
CPU
ALU
Primary
Memory
Secondary Memory
typically corresponds to a single written symbol. However, to produce some symbols requires
pressing and holding several keys simultaneously or in sequence. While most keyboard keys produce
letters, numbers or signs (characters), other keys or simultaneous key presses can produce actions or
computer commands. They are different types of keyboards i.e., Normal, Multimedia and wireless
Keyboards. The keyboard consists of the following major categories of keys:
Letter keys: These are the 26 letters of English alphabet arranged as in a typewriter.
Digit keys: There are two sets of digit keys; one on the second row from the top of the
keyboard just as in a typewriter, and the other is a numeric key pad at the bottom right which
allows quick entry of numbers with the fingers of one hand.
Special character keys: These are characters such as <, >, ?, /, {, }, [, ], (, ), ., ", \, !, @. #, $, %, ^,
&, *, -, +. =. _ Most of these are printed when the shift key in the keyboard is pressed down and
the key on which it is written is pressed. For example, when shift key and the key with digit 2
in the second row from top are pressed together, @ is printed.
Non printable control keys: These are used for backspacing; going to next line, tabulation,
moving cursor up or down, insert, delete characters etc. There is also a space bar at the bottom
for leaving a space.
Function keys: These are labelled Fl, F2, upto F12 and when pressed will invoke programs
stored in the computer. The functions of some of the non-printable control keys are listed
below:
Backspace key: This key backs the cursor to the previous character and deletes the current
character. If it is pressed 3 times, the 3 previous characters are deleted.
Enter key: At the end of a line of typing, this key is pressed to go to the next line.
Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR): It is a character recognition technology used primarily
by the banking industry to facilitate the processing of cheque and makes up the routing number and
account number at the bottom of a cheque. The technology allows computers to read information off
printed documents. Unlike barcodes or similar technologies, however, MICR codes can be easily read
by humans.
The use of magnetic printing allows the characters to be read reliably even if they have been
overprinted or obscured by other marks, such as cancellation stamps and signature. The error rate for
the magnetic scanning of a typical check is smaller than with optical character recognition systems.
For well printed MICR documents, the "can't read" rate is usually less than 1% while the substitution
rate (misread rate) is in the order of 1 per 100,000 characters. MICR is standardized by ISO
1004:1995.
Optical mark recognition: Optical Mark Recognition (also called Optical Mark Reading and OMR) is
the process of capturing human-marked data from document forms such as surveys and tests.
Many traditional OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) devices work with a dedicated scanner
device that shines a beam of light onto the form paper. The contrasting reflectivity at predetermined
positions on a page is then used to detect the marked areas because they reflect less light than the
blank areas of the paper.
OMR is generally distinguished from optical character recognition (OCR) by the fact that a
complicated pattern recognition engine is not required. That is, the marks are constructed in such a
way that there is little chance of not reading the marks correctly. This does require the image to have
high contrast and an easily-recognizable or irrelevant shape.
One of the most familiar applications of optical mark recognition is the use of HB pencil bubble
optical answer sheets in multiple choice question examinations. Students mark their answers, or other
personal information, by darkening circles marked on a pre-printed sheet. Afterwards the sheet is
automatically graded by a scanning machine.
Web Camera: A webcam is a video capture device connected to a computer or computer network,
often using a USB port .The most popular use is for video telephony, permitting a computer to act as a
videophone or video conferencing station. This can be used in
messenger programs such as Windows Live Messenger, Skype and
Yahoo messenger services. Other popular uses, which include the
recording of video files or even still-images, are accessible via numerous
software programs, applications and devices. Webcams are known for
low manufacturing costs and flexibility, making them the lowest cost
form of video telephony. A low resolution video camera used to provide
visual input that can be easily transferred over the internet.
Output Devices:
PRINTER: A device that prints images (numbers, alphabets, graphs etc.) on paper is called Printer.
After creating a document on the computer, you can send it to the printer for printing its hard-copy
which is generally called a printout. The speed of a printer is rated either by pages per minute (ppm)
or by characters per second (cps). You can take printout in full colours or in black colour only.
3. Laser Printer: This type of printer uses fine powder ink called toner. Laser
printers use the same technology as photocopy machines. They produce
high quality text and graphics printouts. The laser printer also quite
popular in corporate world and printing houses. Laser printers also
available in black & white and colour.
Monitors: A monitor or display (also called screen or visual display unit) is an electronic visual
display for computers. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and an enclosure. The
display device in modern monitors is typically a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD)
thin panel, while older monitors use a cathode ray tube about as deep
as the screen size.
TFT-LCD (Liquid Crystal Display): LCD monitor is the flat panel type of
monitor found on notebook PCs. TFT-LCD (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal
Display) is a variant of LCD which uses TFT technology to improve image
quality. TFT LCD is one type of matrix LCD. It is used in televisions, flat panel
displays, projectors etc. LCD Monitors are available in 15, 17, 19, 21 and 23
size.
The most common type of projector used today is called a video projector. Video projectors are digital
replacements for earlier types of projectors such as slide projectors and overhead projectors. These
earlier types of projectors were mostly replaced with digital video projectors throughout the 1990s
and early 2000s (decade), but old analog projectors are still used at some places. The newest types of
projectors are handheld projectors that use lasers or LEDs to project images. Their projections are
hard to see if there is too much ambient light. Movie theatres used a type of projector called a movie
projector, nowadays mostly replaced with digital cinema video projectors.
Modem: These used to access data via telephone line (dial-up connection) used to access BBS and
Internet. A modem (modulator-demodulator) is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to
encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted
information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce
the original digital data. They are different types of modems. There are explained below
1. Internal modems: Internal computer modems are used with Dial-Up Internet
connection through a couple of RJ-11 connection. Internal computer modems are
usually 56K modems which mean that the modem is able to receive 56 Kbits/s
(56 kilobits or 56000 bits per second) of data. This kind of data transmission is
called downstream transmission, came from a provider and transmitted over
telephone lines. Commonly it is the standard bandwidth with telephones lines.
2. External modems: It is the second term we have to consider from different
types of computer modem. An External modem can be used to the same purpose
and in the same conditions as internal computer modem. However external
modem is a small box that uses other kind of interfaces to be connected to the
computer.
3. USB modem: The same small box, on the other hand, can be an USB modem
which normally uses USB port usually placed on the back or in front of the
computer. Some Internet Service Providers supports wireless internet services.
The wireless modems are used for this service. These modems work similar to
traditional wired modems except its structure.
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4. Cable modem: The cable modem uses a coaxial cable television lines to provide a greater
bandwidth than the dial-up computer modem. An extremely fast access to the Web is providing by
the cable modem with downstream transmission up to 38 Mbits/s and an upstream transmission
up to 1 Mbits/s.
5. DSL modem: DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) modem is exclusively used for connections from a
telephone switching office to the user. This technology, available and frequently usable, split up
into two main categories:
6. ADSL or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line: It is used in North America and supports from 1.5
Mbits/s up to 9 Mbits/s of downstream transmission rate and up to 3 Mbits/s of upstream
transmission rate.
Hardware: Hardware consists of interconnected devices that you can use to control the computers
operation. The hardware in a desktop computer is modular, making it easy for someone with
intermediate knowledge of a computer to modify one. Desktop computers are more affordable than
notebook computers. Main Components of a PC are Motherboard, Processor, RAM, Hard Disk Drive,
FDD, HDD, CD Drive, DVD Drive, SMPS, Cabinet,
Software: Set of instructions given to the computer, software tells the computer what to do.
Firmware: Firmware is a type of software that provides control, monitoring and data manipulation of
engineered products and systems. Typical examples of devices containing firmware are embedded
systems (such as traffic lights, consumer appliances, and digital watches), computers, computer
peripherals, mobile phones, and digital cameras. The firmware contained in these devices provides
the low-level control program for the device.
People Ware: People Ware refers to the role people play in technology and the development of
hardware or software. It can include various aspects of the process such as human interaction,
programming, productivity, teamwork, and other factors.
Memories
Primary and Secondary memory: Storage is an important activity in the computers. Whatever the
data, information Images and pictures would be saved by the user for future reference, Amazing
storage devices are available in the field of computers. Computer memory can be categorized into
Primary Memory & Secondary Memory
Primary memory: Primary memory is the memory that can be directly accessed by the CPU which
constantly interacts with it, retrieves data stored there in, goes through instructions and execute them
as per the requirement. All the information, data and application are loaded there in uniform manner.
Earlier William tubes, delay lines or rotating magnetic drums were used as primary storage which was
later replaced by magnetic core memory. Silicon chip technology revolutionized the electronic
memory and paved the way for Random Access Memory (RAM): RAM is volatile (temporary) but fast
form of memory. Apart from the main large capacity Random, Access Memory (RAM), there are two
sub-layers of the primary memory processor registers within the processor, which are one of the
fastest forms of data storage, contain a word of data (usually 32 or 64 bits). The CPU instructs and
helps the Arithmetic and logic unit to perform a number of calculations on this data.
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Processor cache, which is meant for enhancing the performance of the computer, links the fast
registers to the slower main memory. Cache memory loads the duplicated information that is used
most actively. It is much faster than the main memory but relatively can store limited data. It is also
much slower but much larger than the processor registers. Cache setup is further split into different
levels with smallest and fastest primary cache and relatively larger but slower secondary cache.
RAM (Random Access Memory): The most familiar form of system memory, Random Access
Memory (RAM) derives its name from the fact that any of its memory cells can be accessed directly if
you are aware of the row and column that intersect at that cell. The columns are referred to as bit
lines while the rows are referred to as word lines. The intersection of a word line and bit line is the
address of the memory cell onto a silicon wafer. In case of Serial Access Memory (SAM), the opposite
of RAM, the data is stored as a series of memory cells and can be accessed sequentially. Whereas data
stored in RAM can be accessed in any order. Some common types of RAM are as follows:
SRAM: Used primarily to create CPU's speed-sensitive cache, Static Random Access Memory (SRAM)
uses multiple transistors for each memory cell. It does not have a capacitor in each cell. Each bit of
memory is held by a flip-flop memory which takes four to six transistors besides some wiring. SRAM is
not required to be refreshed which makes it significantly fast. As compared to DRAM, SRAM has more
parts and therefore it consumes a lot more space on a chip. With less memory available per chip, the
SRAM becomes costlier.
DRAM: Dynamic Random Access Memory needs to be refreshed consistently and contains memory
cells with a paired transistor. In order to activate the transistor at each bit in the column, DRAM sends
a charge through the appropriate column (CAS). The level of charge is determined by the sense-
amplifier while reading. If the level of charge exceeds fifty percent, it is read as a 1 whereas if the
charge is below fifty percent it is read as a 0. For dynamic memory to work, Either the CPU or the
memory controller recharges all the capacitors before they are discharged to zero.
To ensure this the memory is read and written back which if referred to as refresh operation. DRAM is
required to be refreshed dynamically all the time otherwise it will lose the information. This
refreshing operation consumes a lot of time and causes the memory to slow down.
SDRAM: Synchronous dynamic random access memory enhances the system's performance by
utilizing the burst mode concept. With maximum transfer rate to L2 cache of 528 mbps, SDRAM stays
on the row that contains the requested bit and moves quickly through the columns to read each bit as
it moves on.
DDR SDRAM: Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory is somewhat similar
to SDRAM but has higher bandwidth It has a maximum transfer rate to L2cache of about 1064 mbps.
ROM (Read only Memory): Read Only Memory (ROM) is an integrated circuit programmed with data
that holds instructions for starting up the computer. Data stored in ROM is non-volatile and data is not
lost when powered off. These data cannot be changed or a special operation is needed to be
performed to change it. ROM chips also comprise of columns and rows but it is different from RAM in
terms of intersection of these. These chips use diodes instead of transistors to connect the lines if the
value is 1 whereas if the value is 0 the lines are not connected. A ROM chip cannot be reprogrammed
or rewritten therefore when the chip is created it requires the programming of perfect and complete
information. ROM chips are cost effective and use very little power. Some common types of ROM are
as follows
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PROM: Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) is a type of ROM. These chips are non-volatile and
cannot be purged to store something else once it has been used. Blank PROM chips can be coded with
the help of a tool known as a programmer. Similar to ROM, PROM chips also have a grid of rows and
columns but here fuses connect the intersections. A charge towards the columns passes through the
fuse in a cell to a grounded row and indicates a value of 1. Initially PROM chips are all 1 s for all cells
have a fuse. In order to change the value of a cell to 0, a programmer is used to send the current to the
cell. The connection between the column and the row snaps as the higher voltages while passing
through burns out the fuse.
EPROM: Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory can be erased with the help of ultraviolet light
arid rewritten many times. These chips are configured by the EPROM programmer, providing the
voltage at the specified levels.
EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory chips are riot required to remove,
to be erased or rewritten. These chips do not require to be erased altogether and specific portion of it
can be easily altered. Additional dedicated equipment is also not required to change the content the
EEPROM chips. These chips are erased and rewritten with the help of electric charge.
Secondary Memory : Secondary memory is not directly accessible to the CPU. Input/output channels
are used to access this non-volatile memory. This memory does not lose the data when the system is
powered off. The most familiar form of secondary memory that is widely used is Hard Disk. Some
examples of secondary memory are USB sticks, floppy drives and Zip drives. Secondary memory
devices include magnetic disks like hard drives and floppy disks; optical disks such as CDs and CD
ROMs; and magnetic tapes, which were the first forms of secondary memory.
Magnetic tapes
A magnetically coated strip of plastic on which data can be encoded. Tapes for computers are similar
to tapes used to store music. Storing data on tapes is considerably cheaper than storing data on disks,
tapes also have large storage capacities, ranging from a few hundred kilobytes to several gigabytes.
Accessing data on tapes, however, is much slower than accessing data on disks. Tapes are sequential-
access media, which means that to get to a particular point on the tape, the tape must go through all'
the preceding points. In contrast, disks are random-access media because a disk drive can access any
point at random without passing through intervening points.
Because tapes are so slow, they are generally used only for long-term storage and backup. Data to be
used regularly is almost always kept on a disk. Tapes are also used for transporting large amounts of
data. Tapes come in a variety of sizes and formats. Tapes are sometimes called streamers or streaming
tapes.
Hard disk: A magnetic disk on which you can store computer data. The term hard is used to
distinguish it from a soft, or floppy, disk. Hard disks hold more data and are faster than floppy disks. A
hard disk, for example, can store anywhere from 10 to more than 100 gigabytes, whereas most
floppies have a maximum storage capacity of 1.4 megabytes.
A single hard disk usually consists of several platters. Each platter requires two read/write heads, one
for each side. All the read/write heads are attached to a single access arm so that they cannot move
independently. Each platter has the same number of tracks, and a track location that cuts across all
Hard disk provides convenient storage for large amounts accessible of data. Location where all
information can be stored even when power is off. There are two types of HDDs. They are External
and Internal Hard disks. Internal hard Disk Drives had two types one is IDE and other one is SATA.
External Hard drives are connected with usb and Power cables. The max. Capacity now Available is
1 TB and 2 TB.
Floppy disks: A soft magnetic disk. It is called floppy because it flops if you wave it (at least, the SVS-
inch variety does). Unlike most hard disks, floppy disks (often called floppies or diskettes) are
portable, because you can remove them from a disk drive. Disk drives for floppy disks are called
floppy drives. Floppy disks are slower to access than hard disks and less storage capacity, but they are
much less expensive. And most importantly, they are portable.
Optical disks: A storage medium from which data is read and to which it is written by lasers. Optical
disks can store much more dataup to 6 gigabytes (6 billion bytes)than most portable magnetic
media, such as floppies. The types of optical storage media are Compact Disc (CD). Compact Disk is
used for secondary storage. It can read and write the data. The capacity of CD-ROM is 194 Mb 900
Mb. CD Released in 1982, the CD (compact disc) revolutionized the music industry by offering digital
sound to home consumers in replacement of analog formats. The CD was eventually transitioned from
a music source to a form of storage for data. In 1990, the CD-R was introduced and allowed for the
creation of optical disc's at home with a personal computer. The average CD allows for up to 700 MB
of data storage. Digital bits are stored as pits on the reflective material in the disc. A red wavelength
laser detects these pits and converts them to a digital signal.
Digital Versatile/Video Disc (DVD): DVD Released in the late 1990's, DVD's offered a widely
accepted digital movie format. Allowing 4.7 GB for a single-layer disc and up to 8.5 GB for a dual-layer
disc, DVD was an excellent choice for personal backups of data on a DVD-R or movie media. DVD is not
only used for data and video. DVD-Audio discs are uncompressed studio master recordings that offer
much higher bit-rate than a standard CD. DVD's used a red wavelength laser, much like CD's. The
capacity of DVD-ROM is 4.7 GB 17.08 GB.
High Definition DVD: HD-DVD was released by Toshiba as a competing format to Sony's Blu-ray disc.
HD-DVD offered enough storage space for full-length, high-definition movies on a single disc. HD-DVD
discs were capable of holding 15 GB per layer with a maximum of two layers. Toshiba had planned on
eventually releasing three-layer discs; however, with shifts of movie production studios, supports for
HD-DVD dwindled until Toshiba announced it would no longer continue the format. HD-DVD drives
use a blue wavelength laser that is able to read smaller pits on the optical media.
Blu-ray: Blu-ray is the newest high-definition optical format. Developed by Sony, Blu-ray discs offer
25 GB per layer with upto two layers per disc. Blu-ray discs have a protective coating that reduces the
number of scratches and makes the disc durable. Like HD-DVD, Blu-ray offers a full-length, high-
definition movie on one disc. Blu-ray recordable, or BD-R, drives are becoming more common in home
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computers. The BD-R drives allow for up to 50 GB of storage on one disc. Blu-ray drives use the same
type of laser as HD-DVD drives to allow for greater storage on the optical disc.
USB flash drive: A USB flash drive (Pen Drive) consists of flash
memory data storage device integrated with a USB (Universal
Serial Bus) 1.1 or 2.0 interface. USB flash drives are typically
removable and rewritable, much smaller than a floppy disk, and
most weigh less than 30 g. Storage capacities in 2009 can be as
large as 256 GB with steady improvements in size and price per
capacity. USB flash drives are often used for the same purposes as
floppy disks were. They are smaller, faster, have thousands of
times more capacity, and are more durable and reliable because of
their lack of moving parts.
Flash Memory:
A variant of EEPROM is called a flash memory. Flash memories are random access memories. They use
one transistor switch per memory cell and come in capacities ranging from 32 KB to 1 GB. They are
non-volatile, i.e., they do not require power to preserve the data stored in them. The read time of flash
memories is tens of nanoseconds whereas the write time is several microseconds. They are compact
and come in various shapes such as pen drives, USB drives and flat disks. The major advantages of
flash memory are:
Cache Memory: Pronounced as Cash (like the money). Cache is a high-speed access area that can be
either a reserved section of main memory or a storage device. The two main cache types are memory
cache and disk cache. Memory cache is a portion on memory of high-speed static RAM (SRAM) and is
effective because most programs access the same data or instructions over-and-over. By keeping as
much of this information as possible in SRAM, the computer avoids accessing the slower DRAM. Most
computers today come with L3 cache or L2 cache, while older computers included only L1 cache.
Like memory caching, disk caching is used to access commonly accessed data. However, instead of
using high-speed SRAM, a disk cache uses conventional main memory. The most recently accessed
data from a disk is stored in a memory buffer. When a program needs to access data from the disk, it
first checks the disk cache to see if the data is there. Disk caching can dramatically improve the
performance of applications because accessing a byte of data in RAM can be thousands of times faster
than accessing a byte on a hard drive.
Another cache is known as "Internet browser cache" also known as "Temporary Internet Files" in
Internet Explorer. Internet cache is used to help improve how fast data is opened while browsing the
Internet. In most cases, each time a web page is opened, it is sent to your browser's temporary cache
on your hard drive. If that page is accessed again and has not been modified, the browser will open the
page from your cache instead of downloading the page again. This saves users a lot of time, especially
if that the user is using a modem, and can also help save the web page owner on bandwidth.
Anyone concerned about their privacy or who wants to hide pages they've visited on the computer
will often clear their Internet cache (history).
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Operating System: It is a type of software that controls and coordinates the operation of the various
types of devices in a computer system. The two objectives of an operating system are controlling the
computers hardware and providing and interface between the user and machine.
An operating system (OS) is an interface between hardware and user which is responsible for the
management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of a computer that acts as
a host for computing applications run on the machine.
Types of Operating System: The operating system has evolved immensely form its primitive days to
the present digital era. From batch processing systems to the latest embedded systems, the different
types of operating system can be classified into SIX broad categories.
1. Batch Processing Operating System: This type of operating system was one of the first to
evolve. Batch processing operating system allowed only one program to run at a time. The
operating system is responsible for scheduling the jobs according to priority and the resources
required. Batch processing operating systems are good at churning through large numbers of
repetitive jobs on large computers. For example, this operating system would be best suited for a
company wishing to automate their payrolls. A list of employees will be entered, their monthly
salaries will be calculated, and corresponding pay slips would be printed. Batch processing is
useful for this purpose since these procedures are repeated for every employee each month.
3. Multi-Tasking Operating System: In this system, more than one process (task) can be executed
concurrently. The processor is switched rapidly between the processes. Hence, a user may run
more than one process at a time. It is quite common that a user on his computer can have a word
processor open and running, an audio CD player playing at the same time. This type of operating
system allows a user to switch between the applications and even transfer data between them. For
example, it allows a user to copy a picture from an Internet opened in the browser application, and
paste it into image editing application.
4. Real-Time Operating System (RTOS): This system is designed to respond to an event within a
predetermined time. This kind of operating is primarily used in process control,
telecommunications, and so on. As the real-time operating systems respond quickly, they are often
used in applications such as air flight or railway reservation booking.
5. Multi-Processor Operating System: This system can incorporate more than one processor
dedicated to running processes. This technique of using more than one processor is often called
parallel processing.
6. Embedded Operating System: It refers to the operating system that is self-contained in the
device and resident in ROM. Since embedded systems are usually not general purpose systems,
these operating systems are lighter or les resource intensive as compared to general purpose OS.
Most of these operating systems also offer real-time operating system qualities. Typical systems
that use embedded operating systems are household appliances, car management systems, traffic
control systems, and energy management systems.
1. Process Management: As a Process manger, the operating system handles the creation and
deletion of processes, suspension and resumption of processes, and scheduling and
synchronization of processes.
2. Memory Management: As a memory manger, the operating system handles allocation and
deallocation of memory space as required by various programs.
3. File Management: The operating system is responsible for creation and deletion of files and
directories. It also takes care of other file-related activities such as organizing, storing,
retrieving, naming, and protecting the files.
5. Security Management: The Operating system protects system resources and information
against destruction and unauthorized use.
6. User Interface: Operating system provides the interface between the user and the hardware.
The user interface is the layer that actually interacts with the computer operator. The interface
consists of a set of commands or menus through which a user communicates with a program.
7. Microsoft Windows.
User interface: Operating System organizes applications so that users can easily access them, use
them, and store application data. When an application is opened, the operating system lets the
application provide the majority of the user interface. Common interfaces provided by different
operating systems can be categorized as Command Line user Interface (CLI) and Graphical User
Interface (GUI).
1. Command Line user Interface (CLI): In early days of computing, operating systems provided the
user with the facility of entering commands via an interactive terminal. Those were the only
means of communication between a program and its user, based solely on textual input and
output. Commands were used to initiate programs, applications, and so on. A user had to learn
many commands for proper operation of the system. Ex: Ms-DOS
2. Graphical User Interface (GUI): A program interface that takes advantage of the computer's
graphics capabilities to make the program easier to use. Well-designed graphical user interfaces
can free the user from learning complex command languages. Graphical user interfaces, such as
Icons: Small pictures that represent commands, files, or windows. By moving the pointer to
the icon and pressing a mouse button, you can execute a command or convert the icon into
a window. You can also move the icons around the display screen as if they were real
objects on your desk.
Desktop: The area on the display screen where icons are grouped is often referred to as the
desktop because the icons are intended to represent real objects on a real desktop.
Menus: Most graphical user interfaces let you execute commands by selecting a choice
from a menu.
Desktop: Desktop is the first screen visible after logging in Windows XP operating system. The
Desktop is a full screen display where all Windows activity takes place. It is part of a graphical user
interface, where icons, menus and dialog boxes on the screen represent programs, files and options on
your Computer.
Start Button: The Start menu provides a way to open most of the software applications that are
installed on the computer. The Start Menu has been customized to provide quick access methods to all
the programs.
Quick launch Toolbar: the Taskbar also displays its own set of toolbars; the most frequently used is
the quick launch toolbar. The Quick launch bar is a customizable toolbar that displays Single Click links
to programs and commands. By default, the Quick launch Toolbar displays links to Internet Explorer,
Media Player, and Show Desktop.
If this Toolbar is not visible, then follow the steps given below:
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1. Click on Start Button, go to Settings and select Taskbar and start menu tab
2. In the Taskbar & Start Menu Dialog Box Choose Taskbar tab and Select Show Quick Launch,
and click OK.
Notification Area: The Notification area (also known as system tray in older versions of Windows
Operating System) is located on the right hand side. This includes time and date, volume control and
Antivirus programs (if any) etc., will be displayed.
Taskbar: It is used as a link to easily open and close programs. It also allows you to switch between
the open application programs and files.
My Computer: Displays documents and files. It also provides access to hard drives and removable
drives of the computer (both local and network).
My Network Places: Enables you to communicate with network resources on the network for file
sharing purpose.
My Documents: It is used to store documents. It also contains data files, which can be easily
organised.
My Pictures: It is used to store picture files. Which can be easily organised Images.
Recycle Bin: It is a temporary storage area used for storing deleted file and recover files accidentally
deleted from hard drive or Floppy Drive.
Internet Explorer: Provides access to Internet.
Shut Down: This item has several options such as Shut Down and Restart Computer or Stand by the
Computer.
Log off: close all programs and log on as a different user.
Run: Starts a program by typing in the programs name and path. There is a browse button to search
for the program to be opened, in case, path is not known.
Help and Support: Gives access to the help feature for the Windows XP environment.
Printers and Faxes: Access to your printers and faxes folder, allows you to add and configure
Printer/faxes.
Search: Searches for the different types of files in various locations.
Settings: Provides quick access to the Control Panel, Printer options and taskbar properties.
My Recent Documents: Reopens one of the last 15 files you have opened by clicking on its name.
All Programs: Provides access to a list of available programs and submenus of related programs.
Recycle Bin: The Recycle bin is a temporary storage area where you can move any files or folders that
you no longer need. Recycle bin contains files deleted from hard drive only. Files or folders stored on a
Floppy Disk or network drive are not sent to the recycle bin when deleted. Instead, they are
permanently deleted.
Scroll Bars Allows you to view entire workbook by moving it up, down (vertical scroll bar), left
or right (horizontal scroll bar).
Status Bar This row can be customized by right-clicking and selecting desired options. Desired
options may include page number/number of total page, word count, insert/overtype mode, caps
lock, and zoom slide.
View buttons These four buttons allow you to change the way you view your document on the
screen. From left to right they are: print layout, full screen reading, web layout and draft. These can
be added/removed by right clicking anywhere on the status bar and checking/unchecking View
buttons.
Zoom Slider Allows you to increase/decrease the
amount of the document you see on the screen.
Create a new blank document:
Place the insertion point in a row below the location where you want to add a row.
You can also add rows below the insertion point. Follow the same steps, but select Insert Rows Below from
the menu.
To add a column:
Place the insertion point in a column adjacent to the location where you want the new column to
appear.
Right-click the mouse. A menu appears.
Select Insert Insert Columns to the Left or Insert Columns to the Right. A new column
appears.
Select the table. A Table Tools Design tab now appears on the Ribbon.
Select the Design tab to access all of the Table Styles and Options.
You can modify which table styles are displayed. In the Table Styles Options, you can select and deselect
various table options. For example, you can select banded rows, and only tables with banded rows will
appear in the Tables Styles section.
Once you've selected all the border options you want to use in your document, click
the Ok button to apply the border.
Insert symbols: Sometimes you need a character thats not on your keyboard, like a foreign currency
symbol, a trademark (), or a fraction like 1/3. For a few symbols, you can use the AutoCorrect feature
to type them. For all other symbols, go to Insert > Symbol. AutoCorrect converts a series of keystrokes
to symbols. Here are a few of the most commonly used ones.
Type To insert
(c)
(r)
(tm)
(e)
The Symbol gallery opens, which contains among other symbols, additional foreign currency
symbols.
2. Select a symbol to insert it.
3. To see additional symbols, click More Symbols at the bottom of the gallery. The Symbol dialog
box opens.
4. Scroll through the list of characters to see all the symbols available in your current font
(normal text) in the Font box. Notice as you scroll that the label in the Subset drop-down list
changes. If you want to skip directly to the not-equal-to sign, for example, select Mathematical
Operators in the Subset list.
Notes If you do not see the Subset drop-down list, look in the lower right corner of the dialog
box, and, in the from list, select Unicode (hex).
5. If you dont see what you want, select a different font in the Font box.
6. When you see a symbol you want, click Insert > Close. If you dont want to insert a symbol,
click Cancel.
Tip For text that looks like pictures, switch to one of the Wingding fonts in the Font box.
In this lesson, you will learn how to insert a shape and format it by
changing its fill color, outline color, shape style, and shadow effects.
Additionally, you will learn to apply 3D effects to shapes that have this
option.
To insert a shape:
Select the shape. A new Format tab appears with Drawing Tools.
Click the More drop-down arrow in the Shapes Style group to display more style options.
Move your cursor over the styles, and Live Preview will preview the style in your document.
Left-click a style to select it.
Select the shape. A new Format tab appears with Drawing Tools.
Click the Shape Fill command to display a drop-down list.
Insert WordArt
1. Click Insert > WordArt, and pick the WordArt style you
want.
In the WordArt gallery, the letter A represents the different designs that are applied to all text
you type.
Note The WordArt icon is located in the Text group, and it may appear different depending on
the program you're using and the size of your screen. Look for one of these icons:
2. The placeholder text "Your text here" appears, with the text highlighted. Enter your own text to
replace the placeholder text.
The Spelling and Grammar check looks at all the text in the document and suggests corrections to
misspelt words, and allows the adding of words to the dictionary.
Ignore Once Accepts the spelling or grammar used and moves onto the next error
Accepts the spelling or grammar used and ignores all future occurrences of it
Ignore All/Ignore Rule
in the document
Next Sentence Skips the grammar error and moves onto the next one
Add to Dictionary Adds the word to the dictionary so that it is recognised in the future
Change Changes the spelling of the word to the suggestion selected in the list
Changes all occurrences of the misspelling to the suggestion selected in the
Change All
list
2. When the Spelling and Grammar check is complete, a dialogue box appears
3. Click Ok
Word 2007 checks for spelling and grammar errors whilst you type. Spelling errors are underlined in
red and grammar errors are underlined in green.
This feature makes it easy to recognise errors and correct them on the move.
Mail Merge: Mail Merge is a feature supported by many word processors that enables you to do mass
mailings or mailing campaigns. Mail Merge is a useful tool that will allow you to easily produce
multiple letters, labels, envelopes, and more using information stored in a list, database, or spread
sheet. Mail Merge Wizard to create a data source and a form letter, and explore other wizard features.
Additionally, you will learn how to use the Ribbon commands to access Mail Merge tools outside of the
wizard.
1. Select a document type: Click the Mailings tab on the Ribbon, click the Start Mail Merge button in
the Start Mail Merge group, and select the type of document you want to create.
2. Connect the document to a data source: In the Start Mail Merge group on the Mailings tab, click
the Select Recipients button.
3. Refine recipients: In the Start Mail Merge group on the Mailings tab, click the Edit Recipient List
button.
4. Insert merge fields: Position the insertion point where you want to insert the merge field(s) and
use the commands found in the Write & Insert Fields group on the Mailings tab.
5. Preview your letters: In the Preview Results group on the Mailings tab, click the Preview Results
button.
6. Complete the merge: In the Finish group on the Mailings tab, click the Finish & Merge button and
select an option from the list.
Mail Merge is a useful tool that will allow you to easily produce multiple
letters, labels, envelopes, and more using information stored in a list,
database, or spreadsheet.
The Mail Merge task pane appears and will guide you through the six main steps to complete a merge. You
will have several decisions to make during the process. The following is an example of how to create a form
letter and merge the letter with a data list.
Steps 1-3
Choose the type of document you want to create. In this example, select Letters.
Click Next: Starting document to move to Step 2.
Select Use the current document.
Click Next: Select recipients to move to Step
3.
Select the Type a new list button.
Click Create to create a data source. The New
Address List dialog box appears.
Enter the necessary data in the New Address List dialog box.
Click New Entry to enter another record.
Click Close when you have entered all of your data records.
Enter the file name you want to save the data list as.
Choose the location where you want to save the file.
Click Save. The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears and displays all of the data
records in the list.
Confirm that the data list is correct, and click OK.
Click Next:Write your letter to move to Step 4.
Write a letter in the current Word document, or use an open existing document.
Place the insertion point in the document where you want the
information to appear.
Select Address block, Greeting line, or Electronic postage
from the task pane. A dialog box with options will appear
based on your selection.
OR
Select More Items. The Insert Merge Field dialog box will
appear.
Select the field you want to insert in the document.
Click Insert. Notice that a placeholder appears where
information from the data record will eventually appear.
Repeat these steps each time you need to enter information
from your data record.
Click Next: Preview your letters in the task pane once you have completed your letter.
Preview the letters to make sure the information from the data record appears correctly in the letter.
Click Next: Complete the merge.
Click Print to print the letters.
Click All.
Click OK in the Merge to Printer dialog box.
Click OK to send the letters to the printer.
The Mail Merge Wizard allows you to complete the merge process in a variety of ways. The best way to
learn how to use the different functions in Mail Merge is to try to develop several of the different
documentsletters, labels, and envelopesusing the different types of data sources.
Right-click directly onto the slide you'd like to insert new Slide.
Click "Insert Slide" from the drop-down that is displayed.
To delete a slide:
Home Tab >> Slides Group >> Delete
Select the slide you want to delete.
Click the Delete command in the Slides group on the Home tab.
or
Locate the slide you'd like to delete. And click Delete Button on
keyboard
or
Right-click directly onto the slide you'd like to delete. Click
"Delete Slide" from the drop-down that is displayed.
Note: Some built-in slide Layouts in PowerPoint already have placeholders for clip art. To insert clip
art into one of these slides, simply click the placeholder and the clip art gallery will open
Adding Pictures:
You can add pictures to any slide by going to the Illustrations or Images Group in the Insert tab. Then
click the picture button.
Try adding any image to your slide.
1. Go to the Illustrations or Images Group in the Insert tab, Then click the Picture button.
2. The Insert Picture dialog box window will appear on the screen.
3. Select picture file and click Insert.
4. Image will automatically add it to your slide.
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To insert a sound file from your computer:
Select the slide where you want to add sound.
Select the Insert tab.
Click the drop-down arrow on the Sound command in the Media Clips group.
Select Sound from File from the menu. The Insert Sound dialog box will appear.
Locate the sound file on your computer.
Select the file.
Click OK. A sound icon and a dialog box will appear.
Select Automatically or When Clicked. Automatically
will start the sound automatically as soon as the slide
appears in Slide Show view, while When Clicked will
start the sound when you click.
Click, drag, and release the button to move the sound
icon to a different location on the slide.
Select Insert a Movie from File from the menu. The Insert Movie dialog box will appear.
Locate the file you want to insert from your computer.
Click the file name.
Click OK. The movie will appear on the slide.
The Movie Tools Options tab and Picture Tools
Format tab appear on the Ribbon when the
movie is inserted.
Note: A dialog box will appear. Click
Automatically or When Clicked. Automatically
will start the movie automatically as soon as
the slide appears in Slide Show view, while
When Clicked will start the movie when you click.
To insert a chart:
Select the Insert tab.
Click the Insert Chart command. The Insert Chart dialog box appears.
Click and drag the scroll bar to view the chart types, or click a label on the left of the dialog box
to see a specific chart style.
Click a chart to select it.
Click OK. Excel will open. Usually, Excel will appear on one side of the screen, while PowerPoint
appears on the other side of the screen.
Note: If a slide layout has a content placeholder, click the Insert Chart command to insert a new
chart.
To insert a shape:
Select the Home tab.
Click the Shapes command.
Click a shape from the menu.
Move your cursor toward the slide. It will appear as a cross shape.
Click and hold down the mouse button, and drag the cursor until the shape is the desired size.
Release the mouse button to insert the shape.
Click the More drop-down arrow to display all available transition effects.
Note: Hover over a slide transition effect to see a live preview of the effect on the slide.
To apply a slide transition to all slides:
Select the slide you want to modify.
Select the Animations tab.
Locate the Transition to This Slide group. By default, No Transition is applied to each slide.
Click the More drop-down arrow to display all transition effects.
Click a slide transition effect to apply it to the selected slide.
Modifying transitions
To set slide transition speed:
Apply a slide transition effect to a slide.
Click the Transition Speed drop-down menu in the Transition to This Slide group on the
Animations tab.
Select a menu option to apply the transition speed to the selected slide.
You can set the transition speed when you apply the transition effect, or you can return to the
Animations tab and apply it later. If you want to apply the transition effect and transition speed
to all slides, Click Apply to All.
When you first open Excel, the software opens to a new blank workbook.
Opening Workbook
To work on any worksheet in a workbook, first of all you have to open a workbook.
1. Click on the MS Office button.
2. Click on open. (or press Ctrl + O Keys together)
3. In the open dialog box, choose drive, folder name that contains the workbook.
4. Click on Open.
Closing a Workbook
1. Click on MS Office button.
2. Choose Close
3. You can select Exit Excel command to exit from MS Excel.
Note: If you only need to delete some characters, not the whole data of a cell Click on the cell and goto
Formula Bar delete the text or edit it.
Selecting Cells:
If you click on a cell with the mouse you will see its name appear on the left hand side of the formula
bar. As you click on different cells the name in the formula bar will change accordingly. Alternatively,
you can select different cells in the worksheet using the arrow keys or the Enter and Backspace keys.
You can select a range of cells by clicking on a single cell at one corner of the range then, with the
mouse button held down, drag the selection so that it extends over the other cells. To select an entire
row of cells you can click on the row number, and you can select columns by clicking on the
appropriate letter. Finally, you can select the entire worksheet by clicking on the grey box against the
letter A and number 1.
Formatting Text:
A worksheet containing raw data is not very clear, but you can improve its appearance by applying
different formats to some key cells. The most popular formats are available through tools in the Font
and Alignment groups on the Home tab.
The button in the lower-right
corner is very useful for headings.
If you select a single cell, then
extend the selection horizontally
across adjacent cells you can then
click on this button to centre the
single cell contents across the selected range.
Formatting Numbers
To clarify your worksheet further
you can specify the format in
which selected numbers are
displayed. To do this, select the
cells containing the numbers in
question, then from the Number
group on the Home tab, click the
drop down list.
Select any numbering style, or for
more options, select the More
Number Formats option. In the
dialog box that appears, you will
see a list of categories of numbers
and for each category there will be
a second list containing possible
formats. You can then choose a
format for your selected data.
In addition, there are buttons in
the Number group which will
quickly format numbers as
currency, percentages, or fixed
numbers of decimals.
The AutoFilter feature makes filtering, or temporarily hiding, data in a spread sheet very easy. This
allows you to focus on specific spread sheet entries.
To Use AutoFilter:
Select Data from the main
menu.
Select Filter AutoFilter.
Click the drop-down arrow
next to the heading you would
like to filter.
For example, if you would like to only
view data from the West Sales
Region, click the drop-down arrow
next to Sales Region.
Choose the data you would
like to display.
In this example, you would
choose West. All other data will be
filtered, or hidden, and only the West
Sales Region data is visible.
Click the drop-down arrow again and select All to display all of your original data.
Types of System Defined functions: There are different types of functions used in Ms-Excel.
Mathematical functions:
Statistical functions:
Text functions:
Concatenate Joins several text strings into one text string =Concatenate (text1, text2) OR
=Concatenate (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5) Then
press enter.
Len Returns the number of characters in a text =Len(text)
string. Characters include spaces, commas
and special characters etc.
Upper Converts text to Upper case =Upper(text)
Lower Convert text to Lower case. =Lower(text)
Exact Compares two text strings and returns True if =EXACT (text1, text2)
they exactly the same, False otherwise.
Rept Repeats text a given number of times. =Rept (text, number of times)
Left Left returns the first character or characters in =Left (text, number of characters)
a text string, based on the number of
characters.
Right Right returns the last character or characters =Right (text, number of characters)
in a text string, based on the number of
characters.
Mid Returns a specific number of characters from =Mid (text, start_num, number of
a text string, starting at the position you characters)
specify, based on the number of characters
you specify.
Trim Removes all UN used spaces from the text. =Trim (text)
Logical functions:
And Returns True if all its arguments are True, Returns false one or =And(logical1,logical2,)
more argument is false.
Or Returns True if any argument is True, Returns false if all =or(logical1,logical2,)
arguments are false.
Not Reverses the value of its argument =Not(logical)
True Returns the logical value True =True()
False Returns the logical value False =False()
If Returns one value if a condition evaluates true and another =If(logical, value if true,
value if it evaluates false. value if false)
FORMULA IN MS-EXCEL
In MS-Excel, formula option includes numbers, cell references, functions, operators and parentheses.
A formula entry always begins with an equal (=) sign.
For example, the cell D3 and D4 contain respectively 78 and 22. In D5, enter the formula = D3-D4.
After confirming the entry, the cell shows the result 56, while the formula bar will show the entered
formula. If the contents of either or both of these cells are changed Excel automatically recalculates
the result in cell D5. That is, if the contents of cell D3 are changed to 63, D5 will automatically display
63-22 = 41.
STEPS OF ENTERING FORMULA IN MS-EXCEL: We will write a simple formula in Excel to add the
numbers 3 + 2.
STEP 1: ENTERING THE DATA
It's best if you first enter all of your data into the spread sheet before you begin creating formulas.
This way you will know if there are any layout problems, and it is less likely that you will need to
correct your formula later.
1. Type a 3 in cell Al and press the ENTER key on the keyboard.
2. Type a 2 in cell A2 and press the ENTER key on the keyboard.
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STEP 2: ADD THE EQUAL (=) SIGN
When creating formulas in Microsoft Excel, you ALWAYS start by typing the equal sign. You type it in
the cell where you want the answer to appear.
1. Click on cell C1 with your mouse pointer.
2. Type the equal sign in cell C1.
STEP 3: ADD CELL REFERENCES USING POINTING
After typing the equal sign in step 2, you have two choices for adding cell references to the spread
sheet formula.
1. You can type them in or,
2. You can use an Excel feature called Pointing
Pointing allows you to click with your mouse on the cell containing your data to add its cell reference
to the formula.
AFTER TYPING AN EQUAL SIGN IN CELL E3 IN STEP 2:
1. Click on cell Al with the mouse pointer to enter the cell reference into the formula
2. Type a plus (+) sign
3. Click on cell A2 with the mouse pointer to enter the cell reference into the formula
4. Press the ENTER key on the keyboard
The answer 5 should appear in cell E3.
Using operators in Formulas
Various types of operators can be included in Excel formulas. The following table shows the n a me
and description of these operators.
Operators Sign Type of operation
Arithmetic + Addition
- Subtraction
* Multiplication
/ Division
% Percentage
^ Exponentiation
Comparison < Less than
> Greater than
<= Less than or equal to
>= Greater than or equal to
<> Not equal to
Text & (ampersand) Joins text within quotation marks. (concatenation)
Chart tools
Once you insert a chart, a new set of Chart Tools, arranged into
three tabs, will appear above the Ribbon. These are only visible
when the chart is selected.