Learning Objectives
After completing this unit students will be able to:
- Identify and define hardware and software
- Be able to correctly categorize hardware and software from a given list
- Convert a number from one number system to another (including, but not limited to binary, decimal, and hexadecimal)
- Recall the name for units in binary, hexadecimal, and decimal counting systems (bit, digit, place, etc.)
- Understand approximate file sizes in terms of bytes of various types of files (movies, mp4 files, word documents, etc.)
- Explain why computers use a binary system to store information (Boolean Logic, gates easily represent on/off)
- Explain how the “ones and zeros” are represented on various media (electromagnetic, optical, etc.)
- Model single and combined logic gates and truth tables using AND, OR, XOR, and NOT operators
- Understand and can apply Boolean Identities
- Convert between Boolean Expressions (equations), Truth Tables, and Logic Gates
Suggested Reading
- Blown to Bits, Chapter 1 – Digital Explosion. pp 1-17
- Nine Algorithms that Changed the Future, Chapter 1 – Introduction. pp 1-9
Important Videos
- Robot Artist
- Why Do Computers Use 1s and 0s?
- Binary Numbers and Base Systems As Fast As Possible
- Hexadecimal
- How to Convert Hexadecimal to Binary
- Why use Binary?
- What Does What in Your Computer
- History of Motherboards
- How CPUs are Made
- How Memory Works How Memory Works
- How Transistors Work
- How Hard Drives Work
- SSD vs Hard Drives
- Explaining SSD
- Operating System
- Firmware/BIOS
- Boolean Logic & Logic Gates: Crash Course Computer Science #3
- Logic Gates Explained
- Quantum Computers
- Map of Computer Science
Additional Links
Important Vocab
- Abstraction – reducing information and detail to facilitate focus on relevant concepts
- Application – almost everything on the computer except saved files and the operating system, including word processors, photo editing software, web browsers, games, and music programs
- ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange
- Binary – base-two, numeral system that uses zero and one
- BIOS – basic input/output system
- Bit – each numeral in the binary system, zero or one
- Boolean Logic – a branch of algebra where variables can only have two values: true or false
- Byte – eight bits
- Central Processing Unit (CPU) –carries out every command or process on the computer and can be thought of as the brain of the computer
- Computer – an electronic device that processes data according to a set of instructions or commands, known as a program
- Core – the central processing unit (CPU), the main memory, the motherboard, and the power supply
- Decimal – base-ten, numeral system that uses zero to nine
- Digit – each number in the decimal system, zero to nine
- Hardware – the physical parts of the computer, including devices such as the monitor, keyboard, speakers, wires, chips, cables, plugs, disks, printers, and mice
- Hexadecimal – base 16, number system that uses 0-9 and a–f
- Input and output (I/O) devices – how the user interacts with the computer
- Main memory – memory that temporarily stores information while it is being sent to the CPU, also called RAM
- Motherboard (logic board) – the standardized printed circuit board that connects the CPU, main memory, and peripherals
- Nonvolatile – does not need a power supply. Information is physically written to the device
- Nybble (or Nibble) – half byte, four bits
- Operating System – software that serves as an intermediate between the hardware and the applications and is in charge of keeping the entire system running smoothly
- Peripherals – the input and output (I/O) devices and the secondary memory
- POST – power-on self-test
- Power Supply – converts AC electricity to the lower voltage DC electricity that is needed to power the computer
- Random Access Memory (RAM) – memory that can be retrieved or written to anywhere without having to go through all the previous memory
- Secondary Memory – used for long term storage and is physically changed when files are saved or deleted
- Sequential memory – memory used to store back-up data on a tape
- Software – includes the operating system and the applications. It is usually stored on a computer’s hard drive and cannot physically be touched. At the lowest level, it is a series of ones and zeros
- Truth Table – a table made up of rows and columns of Boolean variables and resulting Boolean expressions
- Volatile – needs a power supply. Turning off the power deletes information
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