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Computer systems
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Flash activity (these are not editable)Icons:
Computer systems
Worksheet available
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Learning objectives
By the end of this presentation you will have learned:
what a computer system is
about different types of computer systems
how computer systems are used in the real world.
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Computer systems
A computer system is made up of many different components working together to carry out instructions. The basic operation of a computer is to receive input and process it into useful information or actions.
A computer system is made up of the devices that send data into the computer, the computer itself, and its output devices.
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Input, process and output
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Input, process, output
Each basic operation of a computer can be represented by a simple model:
Each section passes its results on to the next and carries out appropriate instructions on anything it receives. For example:
Input Process Output
Key pressed on keyboard
Character represented by code identified
Character displayed on
screen
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Parts of a computer system
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The importance of computer systems
Computer systems are able to process data into useful information quickly and accurately. Many common tasks today would be much more difficult without computers.
Can you think of some tasks that are still better performed by humans?
What makes these difficult for computers?