Introduction to

Computer Concepts

By Kivaria.
M.Eng. Comp. Sc. & Tech.
Today’s world is an information-rich world and it has
become a necessity for everyone to know about
computers.
A computer is an electronic data processing device,
which accepts and stores data input, processes the data
input, and generates the output in a required format.
Computer i s an Electronic Device. I t i s use to
calculate and manipulate
data.I f we give any instruction to
the computer i t gives us output( Result).
C - Commonly
O - Operating
M - Machine
P - Particularly
U - Used For
T - Technical
E - Educational
Research
R -
The word computer comes from the word ”
compute”,which means “to calculate”.
Thereby, A computer is an electronic device
that can perform Arithmetic operations as
well as logical operations at high speed.
A computer is also called a data processor
because it can store,process and retrived
data whenever desired.
 Data proces Information
s

•The activity of processing data using a computer is called data

processing.

•Data is raw material used as input and informationis processed data

obtained as output of data processing

For example If we read a news paper there is lot of data is available

but we want read some particaluar news that is information.
Charles Babbage, British Mathematics
professor regarded as the Father of
Computers.
He was born in England in 1792 as the
son of a rich banker.
He began to design a "difference engine"
in 1821
It was very complicated machine for
doing calculations automatically.
He began design of another machine "
the analytical machine", which could
carry out many different types of
calculations
His machine was too ahead of the time
of development.
Lack of better technology Babbage
could not complete their work and
passed away in 1871 before he had
completed his work.
If we look at it in a very broad sense, any digital computer carries
out the following five functions:
Step 1 - Takes data as input.
Step 2 - Stores the data/instructions in its memory and uses them
as required.
Step 3 - Processes the data and converts it into useful information.
Step 4 - Generates the output.
Step 5 - Controls all the above four steps

Computer

Input Proces Output

s
Following are certain advantages of computers:-

 High Speed
 Computer is a very fast device.
 It is capable of performing calculation of very large amount of data.
 The computer has units of speed in microsecond, nanosecond, and even the
picosecond.
 It can perform millions of calculations in a few seconds as compared to man
 who will spend many months to perform the same task
 Accuracy
In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate. The calculations are 100%
error free.
 Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy provided that the input is
 correct.
 Storage Capability
Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.
A computer has much more storage capacity than human beings. It can store large
amount of data.
It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text, audio, etc.
Diligence
Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack of
concentration.
It can work continuously without any error and boredom.
It can perform repeated tasks with the same speed and accuracy.
Versatility
A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.
This machine can be used to solve the problems related to various fields.
At one instance, it may be solving a complex scientific problem and the very next
moment it may be playing a card game.
A computer is a very versatile machine.
 Reliability
A computer is a reliable machine.
Modern electronic components have long lives. Computers are designed to
make maintenance easy.
Automation
Computer is an automatic machine.
Automation is the ability to perform a given task automatically. Once the
computer receives a program i.e., the program is stored in the computer
memory, then the program and instruction can control the program
execution without human interaction.
Reduction in Paper Work and Cost
The use of computers for data processing in an organization leads to
reduction in paper work and results in speeding up the process.
As data in electronic files can be retrieved as and when required, the
problem of maintenance of large number of paper files gets reduced.
Though the initial investment for installing a computer is high, it
substantially reduces the cost of each of its transaction.
Following are certain disadvantages of computers.
No I.Q.
A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform any task.
Each instruction has to be given to the computer. A computer cannot
take any decision on its own.
Dependency
It functions as per the user’s instruction, thus it is fully dependent on
humans.
Environment
The operating environment of the computer should be dust free and
suitable.
No Feeling
Computers have no feelings or emotions.
It cannot make judgment based on feeling, taste, experience, and
knowledge unlike humans
computers in various fields.
Business

Following are the applications of

A computer has high speed of

calculation, diligence, accuracy,
reliability, or versatility which has made it
an integrated part in all business
organizations.
Computer is used in business
organizations for:
Payroll calculations
Budgeting Sales analysis
Financial forecasting
Managing employee
database Maintenance of
stocks, etc.
 Banking
Today, banking is almost totally dependent on computers. Banks provide
the following facilities:
Online accounting facility, which includes checking current balance,
making deposits and overdrafts, checking interest charges, shares,
and trustee records.
ATM machines which are completely automated are making it even
easier for customers to deal with banks.
Insurance
Insurance companies are keeping all records up-to-date with the help of
computers. Insurance companies, finance houses, and stock broking
firms are widely using computers for their concerns.
Insurance companies are maintaining a database of all clients with
information showing:
Procedure to continue with policies Starting date of the policies
Next due installment of a policy Maturity date
Interests due
Survival benefits Bonus
 Education
The computer helps in providing a lot of facilities in the education system
The computer provides a tool in the education system known as CBE
(Computer Based Education).
CBE involves control, delivery, and evaluation of learning.
Computer education is rapidly increasing the graph of number of
computer students.
There are a number of methods in which educational institutions can use
a computer to educate the students.
It is used to prepare a database about performance of a student and
analysis is carried out on this basis.
Marketing
In marketing, uses of the computer are following:
Advertising - With computers, advertising professionals create art and
graphics, write and revise copy, and print and disseminate ads with the
goal of selling more products.
Home Shopping - Home shopping has been made possible through the use
of computerized catalogues that provide access to product information
and permit direct entry of orders to be filled by the customers.
 Healthcare
Computers have become an important part in hospitals, labs, and
dispensaries. They are being used in hospitals to keep the record of
patients and medicines. It is also used in scanning and diagnosing
different diseases. ECG, EEG, ultrasounds and CT scans, etc. are also done
by computerized machines.
Following are some major fields of health care in which computers are used.
Diagnostic System –
Computers are used to collect data and identify the cause of illness.
Lab-diagnostic System - All tests can be done and the reports are prepared
by computer.
Patient Monitoring System - These are used to check the patient's signs for
abnormality such as in Cardiac Arrest, ECG, etc.
Pharma Information System - Computer is used to check drug labels, expiry
dates, harmful side effects, etc.
Surgery - Nowadays, computers are also used in performing surgery.
 Engineering Design
Computers are widely used for Engineering purpose. One of the major areas is
CAD (Computer Aided Design) that provides creation and modification of
images. Some of the fields are:
Structural Engineering - Requires stress and strain analysis for design of
ships, buildings, budgets, airplanes, etc.
Industrial Engineering - Computers deal with design, implementation, and
improvement of integrated systems of people, materials, and equipment.
Architectural Engineering - Computers help in planning towns, designing
buildings, determining a range of buildings on a site using both 2D and 3D
drawings.
Military
Computers are largely used in defence. Modern tanks, missiles, weapons, etc.
Military also employs computerized control systems. Some military areas
where a computer has been used are:
Missile Control
Military Communication
Military Operation and Planning Smart Weapons
 Communication
Communication is a way to convey a message, an idea, a picture, or speech
that is received and understood clearly and correctly by the person for
whom it is meant. Some main areas in this category are:
E-mail Chatting
Usenet
FTP
Telnet
Video-conferencing
Government
Computers play an important role in government services. Some major fields
in this category are:
Budgets
Sales tax department Income tax department
Computation of male/female ratio Computerization of voters lists
Computerization of PAN card Weather forecasting
 Computer is a multipurpose machine and
suited to almost all kinds of requirements.It
is very difficult to classify them straight
forward ,therefore we classify it on the
following bases:-

1. On the basis of applications

2. On the basis of purposes
3. On the basis of sizes
 On the basis of applications,computer can be
classified as:-
1. Analog computer
2. Digital computer
3. Hybrid computer
 Classification of
computers

On the basis of On the basis of On the basis of

application/types purpose sizes

Analog computer General purpose Persona computer

computer

Digital computer Special purpose workstation

computer

Hybrid computer Mainframe

minicomputer

Super computer
These computers represent data/information in a
continuous form. That is there are no breaks during signal
transmission. They represent information by processing
measurable physical quantities.
Analog computer:-These are the computers which can
work continuously variable physical parameters e.g.
pressure,temperature,length,voltage,etc and express them
in numerals like a thermometer does,which in fact does not
calculate anything but compares body temperature with
relative expansion of mercury.
Analog computers mainly used in the field of science and
engineering ,as these fields deals with the computation of
physical quantities.
o Speedometer
o Thermometer
o Conventional watch
These are computers that represent data /information in a binary form.
That is they represent signals in just two states. 0s and 1s are used
during data communication
o Desktop computers
o Laptop computers
o Mobile phones
o iPads
o iPhones
o Scientific calculators
These computer possess the property of both
analog and digital computers.Such computers
are used in medicines and surgery.The analog
devices of computer mainly temperature and
blood pressure;and the digital parts convert
them in numeric value.hence they jointly
monitor the condition of the patient.
The digital component normally serves as
the controller and provides logical operations,
while the analogue component normally
serves as a solver of different equations.
Automated teller machine (ATM)
Electrocardiogram
Computers can also be classified
according to the purpose or application
to which it is put.There are two(2) main
groups under this category, these are:
o Special purpose
o General purpose
 A computer is said to be special purpose if it
is designed to solve a specific class of
problem for which it was made
Examples of special purpose computers
 Computers for chemical processes.
 Computers in digital watches.
A general purpose computer is not limited to
the number of applications it can be used
for.
Sr. Type Specifications
No.
1 PC (Personal It is a single user computer system having
Computer) moderately powerful microprocessor
2 Workstation It is also a single user computer system,
similar to personal computer however has a
more powerful microprocessor
3 Mini Computer It is a multi-user computer system, capable of
supporting hundreds of users simultaneously.

4 Main Frame It is a multi-user computer system, capable of

supporting hundreds of users simultaneously.
Software technology is different from
minicomputer.
5 Supercomputer It is an extremely fast computer, which can
execute hundreds of millions of instructions
per second.
A PC can be defined as a small, relatively
inexpensive computer designed for an
individual user. PCs are based on the
microprocessor technology that enables
manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one
chip. Businesses use personal computers for
word processing, accounting, desktop
publishing, and for running spreadsheet and
database management applications. At
home, the most popular use for personal
computers is playing games and surfing the
Internet. Although personal computers are
designed as single-user systems, these
systems are normally linked together to
form a network. In terms of power, now-a-
days high-end models of the Macintosh and
PC offer the same computing power and
graphics capability as low-end workstations
by Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, and
Dell.
Workstation is a computer used for
engineering applications (CAD/CAM),
desktop publishing, software
development, and other such types of
applications which require a moderate
amount of computing power and
relatively high quality graphics
capabilities. Workstations generally
come with a large, high-resolution
graphics screen, large amount of RAM,
inbuilt network support, and a graphical
user interface. Most workstations also
have mass storage device such as a disk
drive, but a special type of workstation,
called diskless workstation, comes
without a disk drive. Common operating
systems for workstations are UNIX and
Windows NT. Like PC, workstations are
also single-user computers like PC but
are typically linked together to form a
local-area network, although they can
also be used as stand-alone systems.
It is a midsize multi-processing
system capable of supporting up to
250 users simultaneously.
Mainframe is very large in size and
is an expensive computer capable of
supporting hundreds or even
thousands of users simultaneously.
Mainframe executes many programs
concurrently and supports many
simultaneous execution of programs.
Supercomputers are one of the
fastest computers currently
available. Supercomputers are very
expensive and are employed for
specialized applications that require
immense amount of mathematical
calculations (number crunching).
For example, weather forecasting,
scientific simulations, (animated)
graphics, fluid dynamic calculations,
nuclear energy research, electronic
design, and analysis of geological
data (e.g. in petrochemical
prospecting).
The first supercomputer was
“param” developed by c-dac in 1991
All types of computers follow the same basic logical structure and perform
the following five basic operations for converting raw input data into
information useful to their users.
Sr. No. Operation Description
1 Take Input The process of entering data and
instructions into the computer
system.
2 Store Data Saving data and instructions so that
they are available for processing as
and when required.
3 Processing Data Performing arithmetic, and logical
operations on data in order to
convert them into useful information

4 Output Information The process of producing useful

information or results for the user,
such as a printed report or visual
display.
5 Control the workflow Directs the manner and sequence in
which all of the above operations
are performed.
 Input Unit
This unit contains devices with the help of which we enter data into the
computer. This unit creates a link between the user and the computer. The
input devices translate the information into a form understandable by the
computer.
CPU (Central Processing Unit)
CPU is considered as the brain of the computer. CPU performs all types of
data processing operations. It stores data, intermediate results, and
instructions (program). It controls the operation of all parts of the computer.
CPU itself has the following three components: ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)
Memory Unit Control Unit
Output Unit
The output unit consists of devices with the help of which we get the
information from the computer. This unit is a link between the computer
and the users. Output devices translate the computer's output into a form
understandable by the users.
Central Processing Unit (CPU) consists of the following features:
CPU is considered as the brain of the computer.
CPU performs all types of data processing operations.
It stores data, intermediate results, and instructions (program). It
controls the operation of all parts of the computer.

CPU itself has following three components.

•Memory or Storage Unit
•Control Unit
•ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit)
This unit can store instructions, data, and intermediate results. This unit
supplies information to other units of the computer when needed. It is also
known as internal storage unit or the main memory or the primary storage
or Random Access Memory (RAM).
Its size affects speed, power, and capability. Primary memory and
secondary memory are two types of memories in the computer. Functions
of the memory unit are −
It stores all the data and the instructions required for processing.
It stores intermediate results of processing.
It stores the final results of processing before these results are released to
an output device.
All inputs and outputs are transmitted through the main memory.
 This unit controls the operations of all parts of the computer but does not
carry out any actual data processing operations.
Functions of this unit are −
It is responsible for controlling the transfer of data and instructions
among other units of a computer.
It manages and coordinates all the units of the computer.
It obtains the instructions from the memory, interprets them, and directs the
operation of the computer.
It communicates with Input/Output devices for transfer of data or results
from storage.
It does not process or store data.
This unit consists of two subsections namely,
Arithmetic Section
Logic Section
Arithmetic Section
Function of arithmetic section is to perform arithmetic operations like
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. All complex
operations are done by making repetitive use of the above
operations.
Logic Section
Function of logic section is to perform logic operations such as
comparing, selecting, matching, and merging of data.
An input device is any hardware device that sends data to a computer,
allowing you to interact with and control the computer.
Following are some of the important input devices which are used in a
computer:
Keyboard Mouse Joy Stick Light pen Track Ball Scanner
Graphic Tablet Microphone
Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR) Optical Character Reader (OCR) Bar
Code Reader
Optical Mark Reader (OMR)
Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps
to input data to the computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that of
traditional typewriter, although there are some additional keys provided for
performing additional functions.
 now keyboards with 104
keys or 108 keys are also
available for Windows and
S.No Keys Description

Internet. The keys on the

1 Typing Keys These keys include the letter keys (A-Z) and digit
keys (09) which generally give the same layout as
that of typewriters.
2
keyboard are as follows −
Numeric
Keypad
It is used to enter the numeric data or cursor
movement. Generally, it consists of a set of 17 keys
that are laid out in the same configuration used by
most adding machines and calculators.
3 Function The twelve function keys are present on the
Keys keyboard which are arranged in a row at the top of
the keyboard. Each function key has a unique
meaning and is used for some specific purpose.
4 Control keys These keys provide cursor and screen control. It
includes four directional arrow keys. Control keys
also include Home, End, Insert, Delete, Page Up,
Page Down, Control(Ctrl), Alternate(Alt), Escape(Esc)
.
5 Special Keyboard also contains some special purpose keys
Purpose Keys such as Enter, Shift, Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space
bar, Tab, and Print Screen.
 Mouse is the most popular pointing device. It is a very famous cursor-
control device having a small palm size box with a round ball at its base,
which senses the movement of the mouse and sends corresponding signals
to the CPU when the mouse buttons are pressed.
Generally, it has two buttons called the left and the right button and a wheel
is present between the buttons. A mouse can be used to control the
position of the cursor on the screen, but it cannot be used to enter text into
the computer.

Advantages
•Easy to use
•Not very expensive
•Moves the cursor faster than the arrow keys of the keyboard.
Mechanical mouse
A hard rubber ball that rolls as the mouse is
moved. Sensors inside the mouse body
detect the movement and translate it into
information that the computer interprets.

Optical mouse
Uses an LED sensor to detect tabletop
movement and then sends off that
information to the computer for merry
munching.

Cordless mouse
A cordless mouse frees you from cord
problems. It connects to your computer with
a radio (rather than an infrared) signal. We
can also say that wireless mouse
Joystick is also a pointing device, which is used to move the cursor position
on a monitor screen. It is a stick having a spherical ball at its both lower
and upper ends. The lower spherical ball moves in a socket. The joystick
The function of the joystick is similar to that of a mouse. It is mainly used
in Computer Aided Designing (CAD) and playing computer games.can be
moved in all four directions.
Light pen is a pointing device similar to a pen. It is used to select a
displayed menu item or draw pictures on the monitor screen. It consists
of a photocell and an optical system placed in a small tube.

When the tip of a light pen is moved over the monitor screen and
the pen button is pressed, its photocell sensing element detects
the screen location and sends the corresponding signal to the CPU.
Track ball is an input device that is mostly used in notebook or laptop
computer, instead of a mouse. This is a ball which is half inserted and by
moving fingers on the ball, the pointer can be moved.
Since the whole device is not moved, a track ball requires less space than a
mouse. A track ball comes in various shapes like a ball, a button, or a
square.
Scanner is an input device, which works more like a photocopy machine. It
is used when some information is available on paper and it is to be
transferred to the hard disk of the computer for further manipulation.
Scanner captures images from the source which are then converted into a
digital form that can be stored on the disk. These images can be edited
before they are printed.
Digitizer is an input device which converts analog information into digital
form. Digitizer can convert a signal from the television or camera into a
series of numbers that could be stored in a computer. They can be used by
the computer to create a picture of whatever the camera had been pointed
at. Digitizer is also known as Tablet or Graphics Tablet as it converts
graphics and pictorial data into binary inputs. A graphic tablet as digitizer
is used for fine works of drawing and image manipulation applications.
Microphone is an input device to input sound
that is then stored in a digital form. The
microphone is used for various applications
such as adding sound to a multimedia
presentation or for mixing music.
MICR input device is generally used in banks as there are large number of
cheques to be processed every day. The bank's code number and cheque
number are printed on the cheques with a special type of ink that contains
particles of magnetic material that are machine readable. This reading
process is called Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR). The main
advantages of MICR is that it is fast and less error prone.
OCR is an input device used to read a printed text. OCR scans the text
optically, character by character, converts them into a machine readable
code, and stores the text on the system memory.
Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in the
form of light and dark lines). Bar coded data is generally used in labelling
goods, numbering the books, etc. It may be a handheld scanner or may be
embedded inBar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it into an
alphanumeric value, which is then fed to the computer that the bar code
reader is connected to a stationary scanner.
OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of
mark made by pen or pencil. It is used where one out of a few
alternatives is to be selected and marked. It is specially used for
checking the answer sheets of examinations having multiple choice
questions.
 An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to
communicate the results of data processing

Following are some of the important output devices used in a computer.

Monitor
Printer
Speaker
Plotter
Screen image projector
 Monitor is a most useful output device of a
computer.The monitor show text,images and
graphics to the user.
Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display
Unit (VDU), are the main output device of a
computer. It forms images from tiny dots,
called pixels that are arranged in a
rectangular form. The sharpness of the image
depends upon the number of pixels.

Different types of monitor are :-

CRTCathode Ray Tube

LCDLiquid Crystal
Display

TFT Thin Film Transistor

LED Light Emitting

Diode
•Best picture quality,
•Give off more radiation
•it's still negligible
•More affordable than LCD Monitor
•CRT monitor price in India is above Rs. 4000/ -
Smaller size/ Lighter weight
Less eyestrain
Lower power consumption Less
heat generation Better image
contrast Energy Saver
LCD’s more expensive than CRT
Save lots of desk space
Less risk of eye strain
Colors are more varied
Visual sharpness
They are just like lcd’s
Lowest power
consumption Thin form
factor
Light weight
Sharp text rendering Good
color fidelity Lowest
radiation
The quality of monitors can be identified by
following things:-
Printers produce a hard copy, The information is
printed on paper and can be used when the
device is off. It is also called a printout .

Printer

Impac Non -
t impact

Dot Daisy Inkjet laser

matrix Wheel
 Printer is an output device, which is used to print
information on paper.
There are two types of printers −
Impact Printers
Non-Impact Printers
Impact Printers:-
Impact printers print the characters by striking them
on the ribbon, which is then pressed on the paper.
Characteristics of Impact Printers are the following−
Very low consumable costs
Very noisy
Useful for bulk printing due to low cost
There is physical contact with the paper to
produce an image
 These printers are of two types −
1. Character printers
2. Line printers
Character Printers:-
Character printers are the printers which print
one character at a time.
These are further divided into two types:
1. Dot Matrix Printer(DMP)
2. Daisy Wheel
Dot Matrix Printer:- In the market, one of the
most popular printers is Dot Matrix Printer.
These printers are popular because of their
ease of printing and economical price. Each
character printed is in the form of pattern of
dots and head consists of a Matrix of Pins of
size (5*7, 7*9, 9*7 or 9*9) which come out to
form a character which is why it is called Dot
Matrix Printer.
Advantages

•Inexpensive

•Widely Used

•Other language characters can be printed

Disadvantages

•Slow Speed

•Poor Quality
 Head is lying on a wheel and pins corresponding to characters are
like petals of Daisy (flower) which is why it is called Daisy Wheel
Printer. These printers are generally used for word-processing in
offices that require a few letters to be sent here and there with
very nice quality.
Advantages
More reliable than DMP
Better quality
Fonts of character can be easily changed
Disadvantages
Slower than DMP
Noisy
More expensive than DMP
 Line printers are the printers which print one line at a
time.
These are of two types −
Drum Printer
Chain Printer
Drum Printer:-
This printer is like a drum in shape hence it is called
drum printer. The surface of the drum is divided into a
number of tracks. Total tracks are equal to the size of
the paper, i.e. for a paper width of 132 characters,
drum will have 132 tracks. A character set is
embossed on the track. Different character sets
available in the market are 48 character set, 64 and 96
characters set. One rotation of drum prints one line.
Drum printers are fast in speed and can print 300 to
2000 lines per minute.
Advantages
Very high speed
Disadvantages
Very expensive
Characters fonts cannot be changed
 In this printer, a chain of character sets is
used, hence it is called Chain Printer. A
standard character set may have 48, 64, or
96 characters.
Advantages
Character fonts can easily be changed.
Different languages can be used with the
same printer.
Disadvantages
Noisy
 Non-impact printers print the characters
without using the ribbon. These printers
print a complete page at a time, thus they
are also called as Page Printers.
These printers are of two types −
Laser Printers
Inkjet Printers
Characteristics of Non-impact Printers
Faster than impact printers
They are not noisy
High quality
Supports many fonts and different character
size
 These are non-impact page printers. They use
laser lights to produce the dots needed to form
the characters to be printed on a page.
Advantages
Very high speed
Very high quality output
Good graphics quality
Supports many fonts and different character size
Disadvantages
Expensive
Cannot be used to produce multiple copies of a
document in a single printing
 Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers
based on a relatively new technology. They print
characters by spraying small drops of ink onto
paper. Inkjet printers produce high quality output
with presentable features.
They make less noise because no hammering is
done and these have many styles of printing
modes available. Color printing is also possible.
Some models of Inkjet printers can produce
multiple copies of printing also.
Advantages
High quality printing
More reliable
Disadvantages
Expensive as the cost per page is high
Slow as compared to laser printer
A plotter is large printer that generates high-
quality documents by moving ink panes over
the surface of paper.
Plotters are particularly useful to engineers
and architects, as they produce high quality
blueprints, maps, and floor plans.
Can print on large printers
High quality printing
Plotters are expensive
Most computer fit a small internal speakers which will produce
a beeping sound when you made an error.
Everyone in the room can hear output from computer.
Help to create atmosphere
Help blind people to use computer
The sound can disturb other people while they are trying to do
their work.
High quality speakers can be expensive
As the word implies “memory” means the
place where we have to store any thing, this is
very essential part of human being just like
this memory is also very important for
computer system because in computer
system we have to store some data or
information and for storing these items we
need some memory or space. So that’s why
we can say that memory is very important
part of computer system.
There are various units which are used to
measure computer memory
Bit - Smallest unit of computer memory
Byte - 8 bit = 1 byte
Kilobyte - 1024 byte = 1 kb
Megabyte - 1024 kb = 1 mb
Gigabyte - 1024 mb = 1 gb
Terabyte - 1024 gb = 1 tb
 Group Assignment
• Evolution and developments of computer
technologies
• Computer generations
Question1: What are generations of computers?
Question2: Explain the processing mechanism of
electrical current flow, which characterizes the five
generations of computers:
Question3: Explain the 1st to 5th computer
generations with their advantages and
disadvantages.