What Is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory, that can accept data, process the data according to specified rules, produce results, and store the results for future use.
Data and Information
Computers process data into information.
Data is a collection of unprocessed items, which can include text, numbers, images, audio,
and video.
Information conveys meaning and is useful to people.
cash register receipt
A computer processes data into information. In this simplified example, the item ordered, item price, quantity ordered, and amount received all represent data. The computer processes the data to produce the cash register receipt (information).
Information Processing Cycle Computers process data (input) into information (output). Computers carry out
processes using instructions, which are the steps that tell the computer how to perform a particular task. A collection of related instructions organized for a common purpose is referred to as software. A computer often holds data, information, and instructions in storage
for future use. Some people refer to the series of input, process, output, and storage activities as the information processing cycle.
Most computers today communicate with other computers. As a result, communications also has become an essential element of the information processing cycle.
© 2011 Course Technology, Cengage Learning
Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World, Complete
Gary B. Shelly
Misty E. Vermaat
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I would like to speak to students. We are getting a question. It's a tangible object. Here we are supposed to know that it is all about good, because it's an example that includes tires, MP three players clothing and so on. It's okay that we can determine if it's tangible. Is this a tangible item? Okay, a product. It's an example Attach an example. Okay, let's get to it. This is all about the final answer to the question, sir. Thank you for taking the time to say thank you.
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- Is a collection of unprocessed items including text images audio and video?
- Is information such as images audio and video?
- What is a light sensing input device that reads printed text and graphics?
- What key is a special key programmed to issue commands to a computer?
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Entails having the knowledge and understanding of computers, mobile devices, and related technologies. | Digital Literacy |
Is a collection of unprocessed items, which can include text, numbers, images, audio, and video. | Data |
Conveys meaning and is useful to users. | Information |
The term for known specific patterns of viruses. | Virus Signature |
What involves reducing the electricity consumed and environmental waste generated when using a computer? | Green Computing |
Who is Microsoft's founder? | Bill Gates |
An operating systems that is not used by today's computers and mobile devices. | DOS |
You interact with a program through which of the following, thereby controlling how you enter data and instructions and how information is displayed on the screen? | User Interface |
What term is used to illustrate the gap between those with and those without access to technology? | Digital Divide |
True about a computer.. | Its electronic components process data using instructions. |
How do you determine which type of computer -- tablet, laptop, or desktop -- is best? | It depends on your needs. |
Your smartphone allow s you to take and store photo, and play and view your digital media. What is the overlap of technology called? | Convergence |
If a computer adds together a list of numbers, what term identifies these numbers? | Data |
Which of the following is NOT a suggestion for easing eyestrain while using a mobile device? | A. POSITION THE DISPLAY ABOUT 90 DEGREES BELOW EYE LEVEL. b. Clean screen regularly. c. Blink your eyes every 5 seconds. d. Take an eye break every 30 minutes. |
What enables users to speak to others users over the internet? | VOIP |
Is a technology that provides high-speed Internet connection using the telephone network. | DSL |
Is equal to approximately one million characters. | Megabyte |
What separates the components of a domain name? | Periods. |
Who was the creator of the WWW? | Tim Berners-Lee |
Is a small version of a larger graphic on a webpage. | Thumbnail |
Is a program that extend the capability of a browser. | Plug-in |
Is the code of acceptable behaviors users should follow while on the interne; that is, it is the conduct expected of individuals while online. | Netuquette |
What is the term for characters, such as :) or :(, used to express emotion in an email message or newsgroup? | Emoticons |
What is the role of the W3C? | Oversee research and set standards for many areas of the internet. |
Represents a single character. | Byte |
The majors carriers of Internet network traffic are known collectively by what term? | Internet Backbone |
What is the purpose of an Internet Protocol address (IP Address)? | It uniquely identifies the location of each computer or device connected to the internet. |
A DNS server is able to identify.. | an Ip address based in a domain name. |
Term used for unsolicited messages. | spam |
What is the electronic component the interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate the computer? | Processor |
What is the term for the picture/video message service available on smartphones and other mobile devices? | MMS |
You need a version of USB technology that will support older USB devices, of which you have many, as well as newer ones. What word do you want to see in the specs? | Backward Compatible |
If you are looking to use a bluetooth device and do not want to extend its range with additional equipment, what is the approximate distance you can expect between your device and the device which it is transmitting data? | 33 feet |
What kind of software consists of programs designed to make users more productive and/or assist them with personal tasks? | Application |
Examples such as bold, italics, and underline add emphasis to a font.. | Font Style |
A single point as shown in the accompanying figure is about what fraction of an inch in height? | 1/72 |
Is a collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and use of that data? | Database |
Is a request for specific data from a database? | Query |
Is software that enables professional designers to create sophisticated documents that contain text, graphics, and many colors. | DTP |
Adjusts the difference in appearance between light and dark areas of a photo? | Contrast |
Is a program that allows you to view images and animation, listen to audio, and watch video files on your computer. | Media Player |
Is a utility that detects and protects a computer from unauthorized intrusions. | Personal Firewall |
Is a filtering program that stops pop-up ads from displaying on web pages. | Pop-up Blocker |
Type of software that has no restrictions from the copyright holder regarding modifications of the software's internal instructions and its redistribution. | Open Source Software |
What is product activation? | A technique to ensure software is not installed on more computers legally licensed. |
When a word processing program user formats a document, what does the user change? | The document's appearance |
What kind of file does Adobe Reader allow you to view? | |
Type of software engineers, architects and scientist use to create designs. | Computer-Aided Design Software (CAD) |
Term used to describe a program that hides in a computer and allows someone from a remote location to take full control of the computer. | Rootkit |
You have received an email that is directing you to a phony website that looks like the website for you mortgage company. What kind of message if this? | Phishing |
Is any event or action that could cause a loss of or damage to computer hardware, software , data, information, or processing capability. | Digital Security Risk |
Computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and rootkits are classified as.. | Malware |
Which kind of license is a legal agreement that allows multiple users to install the software on multiple computers, usually at a volume discount? | Site |
The rights to which creators are entitled for their work. | Intellectual Property |
An IT code of conduct is a written guideline that helps determine whether a specific computer action is | Ethical |
Personal computers, display devices, and printers should comply with guidelines of which of the following programs? | Energy Star |
Websites use which of the following to keep track of items in a user's shopping cart? | Session Cookie |
Which of the following is the process of restricting access to certain material on the web? | Content filtering |
Which of the following terms is used to describe a program that copies itself repeatedly, using up resources and possibly shutting down the computer or network? | Worm |
Term used to describe a program that hides in a computer and allows someone from a remote location to take full control of the computer | Rootkit |
The term, zombie, is... | A computer or device whose owneris unaware that the computer or device is being controlled remotely by an outsider. |
The term firewall is... | hardware and/or software that protects a network's resources from intrusion. |
What is an AUP inteded to do? | Outline computer activities for which the computer and network may or may not be used. |
What is the main circuit board of the system unit? | System Board |
Is a small piece of semiconducting material, usually silicon, on which integrated circuits are etched. | Computer Chip |
Is the component of the processor that performs arithmetic, comparison, and other operations? | ALU |
The processor relies on ______ to control the timing of all computer operations. | System Clock |
One gigahertz (GHZ) equals how many ticks of the system clock per second? | One billion |
Which of the following should you have if you plan to connect your computer or mobile device to a wired computer network? | Ethernet Port |
Which of the following kinds of card is a circuit board that enhances functions of the system unit and/or provides connections to peripherals? | Adapter |
Is a component of the system unit that converts the wall outlet AC power into the DC power a computer requires? | Power Supply |
The two leading manufacturers of personal computer processor chips? | Intel and AMD |
What numbering system uses only the numbers 0 and 1? | Binary System |
When your friend turns off her computer, what kind of memory loses its contents? | Volatile |
What is memory access time? | The amount of time it takes the processor to read data, instructions, and information from memory |
What is the purpose of system bus? | It connects the processor to main memory |
What is the definition of a command? | An instruction that causes a program or app to perform a specific action |
Which of the following is used almost exclusively by the banking industry for check processing? | MICR |
Displays are geared for a specific resolution. What is this resolution called? | Native |
To display the highest quality images, an LCD monitor should plug in which of the following? | All of the above.. DVI port, Display port, HDMI port |
Is a disadvantage of an all-in-one printer. | If the device breaks down, users loose all functions. |
A wireless keyboard is a battery powered device that transmits data to the system unit using wireless technology. Which technology is commonly used for this purpose? | Bluetooth. |
Who created the mouse that is used on millions of computers today? | Douglas Engelbart |
What is the measure of a display's width realative to its height? | The aspect ratio |
Memory (chips) accesses items in which unit of time? | Nanoseconds |
Storage devices access items in which unit of time? | Milliseconds |
A group of two or more integrated hard disks is referred to... | RAID |
Is a type of optical disc that users can read from but not write to or erase? | DVD-ROM |
Kind of interface that sends data one bit at a time. | Serial |
Storage term used to measure capacity is approximately a billion bytes... | Gigabyte |
Before any data can be read from or written on a hard disk, what must first happen to the disk? | Formatting |
What causes a head crash on a hard disk? | A read/write head touches the surface of a platter. |
What does NAS stand for? | Network Attached Storage |
Two types of system software are which of the following? | operating systems and tools that enable you to perform maintenance tasks. |
In an interface, a user types commands or presses special keys on the keyboard (such as function keys or key combinations) to enter data and instructions. What is the term for this kind of interface? | Command-line interface |
____means that the operating system automatically configures new devices as users install them. | Plug and Play |
What is the first step in the startup process of a computer? | The power supply or battery sends an electrical current to circuitry in the computer or mobile device. |
What does the hibernate mode option do? | Saves any open documents and programs to a hard drive before removing power from the computer or device. |
What is the purpose of memory management? | to optimize the use of RAM |
What is virtual menory? | a portion of the hard disk designated to function as additional RAM |
What happens when a computer is thrashing? | The operating system spends too much of its time paging, instead of executing application software. |
What is an error in a program called? | a bug |
TO prevent unauthorized users from reading data as it travels over a network, what process should the administrator specify? | Encryption |
Which of the following is an open source operating system? | Linux |
You are using a technology to enable two devices to share contacts when they touch. What is the name for this technology. | NFC |
What is the term for a network that covers a large geographic area, such as a city, country, or the world, using a variety of the wired and wireless transmission media? | wide are network (WAN) |
The design of computers,devices and media in a network is categorized as either client.server or peer-to-peer | Network architecture |
On a network, what kind of computer controls access to the hardware,software, and other resources on the network and provides a centralized storage area for programs, data, and information? | Host |
On what kind of network do one or more computers act as a server and the other computers on the network request services from the server? | client/server |
_____ is an inexpensive network that typically connects fewer than 10 computers? | peer-to-peer network |
On what kind of network must all of the computers and devices (nodes) on the network connect to a central device? | star network |
Who invented the Ethernet? | Robert Metcalfe |
Identifies any network based on 802.11 family of standards? | Wi-Fi |
How many feet can the range of Bluetooth devices be extended with additional equiptment? | 325 |
DSL | It is a popular digital line alternative for the small business or home user. |
Has a fast transfer rate? | FTTP |
Enables a computer or device that does not have built in networking capability to access a network? | NIC |
The amount of data, instruction, and information that can travel over a communications channel sometimes is called _____. | Bandwidth |
Is the time it takes a signal to travel from one location to another on a network? | latency |
What is the maximum transmission rate for Bluetooth? | 24Mbps |
Best describes the Ethernet network standard.. | no central computer or device on a network should control when data can be transmitted. |
Your new remote control is likely to use this technology? | IrDA |
A toll booth is likely to use this technology? | RFID |
Examples of a dedicated line... | ISDN, DSL, ATM |
What is the purpose of hubs and switches? | to provide a central point for cables in a network |
Has a port to which a cable connects in order to coordinate the transmission and receipt of data, instructions, and information to and from the computer or device containing it? | Network Interfaced Card |
What is the best description of a coaxial cable? | a single copper wire surrounded by at least three lawyers |
Offers an alternative to infrared communication with huge bandwidth transmissions. | Bluetooth |
Is a 4G standard | LTE |
A digital display interface developed by the VESA in 2006 that is the first display interface to rely on packetized data transmission | Display Port |
Is a collection of unprocessed items including text images audio and video?
Data is a collection of unprocessed items, which can include text, numbers, images, audio, and video.
Is information such as images audio and video?
All numbers, text, sound, images, animations, and video used as input are called data, and all numbers, text, sound, images, animations, and video returned as output are called information.
What is a light sensing input device that reads printed text and graphics?
scanner, also called optical scanner, computer input device that uses a light beam to scan codes, text, or graphic images directly into a computer or computer system.
What key is a special key programmed to issue commands to a computer?
A function key is a key on a computer or terminal keyboard that can be programmed so as to cause an operating system command interpreter or application program to perform certain actions, a form of soft key. On some keyboards/computers, function keys may have default actions, accessible on power-on.