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TOPIC 1 ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING

Objectives:
At the end of the topic, the student will be able to:
1. Understand the data processing principle;
2. Identify the elements of a computer system;
3. Differentiate the different types of computers;
4. Identify the capabilities and limitations of the computer;
5. Setup a PC.

Electronic data processing

Electronic Data Processing (EDP) refers to the utilization of computer or information
and communications technology (ICT) equipment in the processing, operation, and
manipulation of data.

Source: http://thenwt.com/electronic_data_processing_wwlm.jpg

Data vs Information
Data refer to raw materials like letters, numbers, sounds, images. These are facts
but they do not necessarily have meanings.
Information refers to processed data. These data have undergone operations and
can serve as input to other subsequent operations.

Data Processing Cycle Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering Computers
2011: Living in a Digital World. Boston, MA:
This cycle is a step-by-step process that goes through five (5) stages. Thomson Course Technology .

a. Origination . The initial capture of raw data as transactions occurs. This stage involves collection,
gathering and identifying data.
e a b. Input. Data are collected and converted into a form acceptable for
processing. It involves classifying, summarizing, sorting and coding of
data.
c. Processing. This stage refers to the electronic manipulation of data. In
d b
this stage, logical or mathematical operations are executed based on the
required goals.
d. Output. This stage refers to the display of results from the process stage. It involves
c preparation of processed information into a format acceptable to the user
for analysis or as input for a second cycle.
e. Storage and Feedback. Sometimes there is a need to balance and counter check the result of the processes
undertaken. As such the actual result is compared with the desired result. This stage also involves retention of
the results of processed data for future use or retrieval.

Computer
- an electronic device used to process data, converting the data into
information that is useful to people
- an electronic device that can interpret and execute programmed commands
for input, output, computation, and logic operation

A computer has four functions:

a . accepts data Source: http://t1.gstatic.com/images? Input
q=tbn:ANd9GcQllfEVWj1GfrRRxgMPbREj5DCdJztjW6TqDRR6FlMDZxiS
b. processes data Qmr4PQ Processing
c. produces output Output
d. stores results Storage
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Computer System

System – refers to the logical and physical interconnection of parts, units and functions and other associated
materials to accomplish a specific goal

Components of a computer system:

COMPUTER SYSTEM = HARDWARE + SOFTWARE + USER + DATA
• Hardware = Internal Devices + Peripheral Devices
All physical parts of the computer (or everything that we can touch) are known as Hardware.
• Software = Programs
Software gives "intelligence" to the computer.
• USER = Person, who operates the computer.
• DATA

System Unit
The system unit is a case that
contains electronic components of the
computer used to process data. System units
are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The case of the system unit, sometimes called
the chassis, is made of metal or plastic and
protects the internal electronic components
from damage. All computers and mobile
devices have a system unit.

Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering

Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course

The Motherboard
The motherboard, sometimes called a system board,
is the main circuit board of the system unit. Many
electronic components attach to the motherboard;
others are built into it. A photo of a current desktop
personal computer motherboard and identifies its
slots for adapter cards, the processor chip, and
memory. Memory chips are installed on memory
Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering cards (modules) that fit in a slot on the motherboard.
Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course

Processor
The processor, also called the central processing unit (CPU), interprets
and carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer. The processor
significantly impacts overall computing power and manages most of a
computer’s operations. Source: http://techreport.com/r.x/core2-quad-q9300/chips.jpg
On larger computers, such as mainframes and supercomputers, the
various functions performed by the processor extend over many separate chips and often multiple circuit boards.
On a personal computer, all functions of the processor usually are on a single chip. Some computer and chip
manufacturers use the term microprocessor to refer to a personal computer processor chip.
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Processors contain a control unit and an arithmetic logic unit (ALU). These two components work together
to perform processing operations.
The Control Unit
The control unit is the component
of the processor that directs and
coordinates most of the operations in the
computer. The control unit has a role much
like a traffic cop: it interprets each
instruction issued by a program and then
initiates the appropriate action to carry out
the instruction.

The Arithmetic Logic Unit

The arithmetic logic unit (ALU),
another component of the processor,
performs arithmetic, comparison, and other
operations. Arithmetic operations include
basic calculations such as addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Comparison operations involve comparing
one data item with another to determine
whether the first item is greater than, equal
to, or less than the other item. Depending on the result of the comparison, Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering

different actions may occur. For example, to determine if an employee should Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course
receive overtime pay, software instructs the ALU to compare the number of Technology .

hours an employee worked during the week with the regular time hours allowed (e.g., 40 hours). If the hours
worked exceed 40, for example, software instructs the ALU to perform calculations that compute the overtime
wage.

Data Representation in a Computer

To understand how a computer processes data, you should know how

a computer represents data. People communicate through speech by
combining words into sentences. Human speech is analog because it
uses continuous (wave form) signals that vary in strength and quality.
Most computers are digital.
Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering Computers
2011: Living in a Digital World. Boston, MA: Thomson
Course Technology .

They recognize only two discrete states: on and off. This is

because computers are electronic devices powered by electricity, which also has only two states: on and off. The
two digits, 0 and 1, easily can represent these two states. The digit 0 represents the electronic state of off (absence
of an electronic charge). The digit 1 represents
the electronic state of on (presence of an
electronic charge).

When people count, they use the digits

in the decimal system (0 through 9). The
computer, by contrast, uses a binary system
because it recognizes only two states.
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The binary system is a number system that has just two unique digits, 0 and 1, called bits. A bit (short for
binary digit) is the smallest unit of data the computer can process.

Memory
Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering
- like an electronic scratch pad inside the computer Computers 2011: Living in a Digital

- the place where the program and data are loaded during execution. World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course
Technology .
- measured in terms of bytes (kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes)
- parts of the main memory: RAM, ROM

Read-Only Memory (ROM) – the content cannot be altered. The information that resides
in here is built-in on the manufacturer’s specifications on the
hardware unit.
Random Access Memory (RAM) – where programs and data are
transmitted during program execution. Programs and data reside
Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering in RAM while they are in use and they can be deliberately altered.
Computers 2011: Living in a Digital Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
Technology . World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course
Technology .
Although computers are expanding memory capacity, there is still a need to utilize secondary memory
which serves as back-up for data keeping and for future use. This is evident in the proliferation of secondary
storage such as disks, tapes and drums. The trend today is with the use of CDs with greater capacity which is
practically useful in storing voluminous data in the form for video, graphics or sound.

Memory Sizes
Unit Abbreviation Size Equivalent
Bit An atom, the smallest unit of memory
Byte 8 bits A single letter, a number, or a symbol
Kilobyte K or KB 1,024 bytes A one-page, double-spaced letter
Megabyte M or MB 1,048,576 bytes A best-selling novel
Gigabyte G or GB 1,073,741,824 bytes An encyclopedia set
Terabyte T or TB 1,099,511,627,776 bytes A bookstore
Storage Devices Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering
Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
Storage holds data, instructions, and information for future use. Every
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course
Technology .
computer stores system software and application software. To start up, a computer locates an operating system
(system software) in storage, usually a hard disk, and loads it into memory (RAM). When a user issues a command
to start application software, such as a word processing program or a Web browser, the operating system locates
the program in storage, such as on a hard disk or optical disc, and loads it into memory (RAM).
Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering
Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course Capacity
Technology .
Capacity is the number of bytes a storage medium
can hold. It identifies the terms manufacturers use to
define the capacity of storage media. For example, a
reasonably priced USB flash drive can store up to 4 GB
of data (approximately four billion bytes) and a typical
hard disk has 320 GB
(approximately 320
billion bytes) of
storage capacity.

Hard disk
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A hard disk, also called a hard disk drive or hard drive, is a storage device that contains one or more inflexible,
circular platters that use magnetic particles to store data, instructions, and information. Depending on how the
magnetic particles are aligned, they represent either a 0 bit or a 1 bit.

Input Devices

Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering

Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course

The Keyboard Technology .

Many people use a keyboard as one of their input devices. A keyboard is an input device that contains keys users
press to enter data and instructions into a The following illustration shows how these keys are arranged on a typical keyboard. Your keyboard layout may differ.

computer.

The keys on your keyboard can be

divided into several groups based on
function:

 Control keys. These keys are

used alone or in combination with
other keys to perform certain
actions. The most frequently used
control keys are CTRL, ALT, the
Windows logo key , and ESC.
 Function keys. The function
keys are used to perform specific tasks. They are labelled as F1, F2, F3, and so on, up to F12. The functionality
of these keys differs from program to program.
 Typing (alphanumeric) keys. These keys include the same letter, number, punctuation, and symbol keys
found on a traditional typewriter.
 Navigation keys. These keys are used for moving around in documents or webpages and editing text.
They include the arrow keys, HOME, END, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, DELETE, and INSERT.
 Numeric keypad. The numeric keypad is handy for entering numbers quickly. The keys are grouped
together in a block like a conventional calculator or adding machine.

Software – set of electronic instructions consisting of

complex codes (programs) that tell the computer
what to do. Software brings the machine back to
life.
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Categories:
1. System Software – a program that is created to serve in the operation of other programs. The best example
of this is the operating system which handles operations of either programming languages or application
systems.
2. Application Software – program that is created for a specific purpose. The likes of word processing,
spreadsheets, presentations and others suit to this category.
Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering
Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course
Types of Computers according to computing power Technology .

Computers come in many different sizes, ranges of power and types with varying capabilities. The following
are the current shapes of computers.

1. Supercomputers. These are the most powerful and

intelligent computers ever made. Physically they are the
largest and economically most expensive. They house
thousands of processors and they are highly complex in
implementation and installation.

Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering

Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course
Technology .

2. Mainframe Computers. The largest type of computers in

common use. They are used in large organizations like
insurance companies and banks where large databases are
maintained and many people need frequent access to the
same database. Also these are used as specialized servers on
the World Wide Web, in handling online transactions such as
Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering e-commerce.
Computers 2011: Living in a Digital Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
Technology .
3. Minicomputers. These are commonly used as World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course
Technology .
servers in network environments that handle
the data sharing needs of other computers in
another network. Because of their expanded
capabilities, minicomputers can also be used to
handle databases and information just like that of
the web servers in mainframes.

4. Microcomputers. Term used interchangeably with personal

computers, but PC has a more specific meaning in that it refers
mainly to IBM-PC. Many companies followed the design of an
IBM-PC, creating clones or compatibles, thus the general term
microcomputers. These became so popular because they are less
Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering
Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World. expensive and physically more useful.
Boston, MA: Thomson Course Technology .

PC classifications

Desktop Model – the first style introduced, a full-size of

which is small enough to be used at a desk but too big
to carry around.

Laptop or Notebook – approximately the size of a notebook and can be carried

easily. It operates on alternating plug-in current or batteries.
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Network computers (NC) – less powerful version of PC, with minimal

processing power, memory and storage. This is designed to be
connected to a network, a corporate intranet or to the Internet. The
NC relies on the network for software and data storage and may
even use the network’s server to perform some processing tasks.
Handheld Personal Computer – called
palmtop computers which include Personal Data Assistant
(PDA), smartphones, cellular telephone with internet, e-mail
and fax, etc.

Source: Shelly and Vermaat 2011. Discovering

Computers 2011: Living in a Digital
World. Boston, MA: Thomson Course
Technology .

Capabilities of Computers

1. ability to perform certain arithmetic and logical operations

2. ability to provide new time dimensions
3. ability to store and retrieve information
4. ability to control error
5. ability to check itself

Limitations of Computers

1. dependence on prepared instruction

2. inability to derive meanings from objects
3. inability to generate information on its own
4. it cannot correct wrong instructions

Self-Assessment Questions

I. Mark each of the following statements as either True or False. If false, replace the underlined word or group of
words to correct the statement.

1. A computer is a motorized device that processes output into input.

2. A storage device records (reads) and/or retrieves (writes) items to and from storage media.
3. An output device is any hardware component that allows you to enter data and instructions into a
computer.
4. Computers have the disadvantages of fast speeds, high failure rates, producing consistent results, storing
small amounts of data, and communicating with others.
5. Three commonly used input devices are a printer, a monitor, and speakers.
6. A desktop computer is a portable, personal computer designed to fit on your lap.
7. Mainframes are the fastest, most powerful computers – and the most expensive.
8. Keyboard is the most commonly used input device.
9. The arithmetic logic unit is the component of the processor that directs and coordinates most of the
operations in the computer.
10. When the computer’s power is turned off, volatile memory loses its contents.
11. PDAs are examples of minicomputers.
12. Function keys are used alone or in combination with other keys to perform a specific task.
13. The control unit performs arithmetic and logical operations.
14. The term “bit” is shortcut for better digit.
15. One kilobyte is equivalent is equivalent to 1,024 bytes.
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II. IDENTIFICATION. Identify the item described in each case.

1. The third stage of the data processing cycle.
2. The most widely used pointing device today.
3. A key on the keyboard which when lighted results to all capital letters.
4. A program which handles operations of programming languages and application systems.
5. The earliest computing device.
6. He invented the analytical engine and is sometimes referred to as the “father of computing”.
7. The world’s first electronic digital computer.
8. These are miniaturized transistors placed on silicon chips which increased the speed and efficiency of
computers.
9. The number of bits in one kilobyte (1kb).
10. An example of an application software used to enter mainly textual information.

REFERENCES

Shelly and Vermaat. 2011. Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World.Boston, MA: Thomson Course
Technology .
“The Five Generations of Computers”. Webopedia.com. WebMediaBrands Inc. Last Updated: August 28, 2009.
Web. November 24, 2009.
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