What is a computer?
Computer is an electronic machine used to solve different problems according to set of instructions given to it.
What does a computer do?
A computer can accept data, process data into useful information and store it for later use.
What does the word “computer” mean?
The word computer is derived from “compute” which Means to calculate.
What can computer be used for?
Computer can be used as a calculating machine to produce results at a very high speed. Computer can be used for different purposes. People use computers to solve different problems quickly and easily.
How many important characteristics of computer are there?
There are eight important characteristics.
Names of important characteristics of a computer :
- Speed
- Reliability
- Storage
- Processing
- Accuracy
- Consistency
- Communication
- Versatile
(RAPVSSCC) Short form
Which ways can computer be used in commerce?
Computer can be used in commerce in the following ways:
- Marketing
- Stock Exchange
- Banks
- Departmental Store
- Office Automation
Use of computers in marketing:
A business organization can use computers for marketing their products. Computer can be used to manage distribution system, advertising and selling activities.
Use of computer in stock exchange:
Many stock exchanges use computers to conduct bids.
Stock brokers can perform many trading activities electronically.
It reduces cost as no paper or special building is required to conduct these activities.
Use of computer in banks:
- Saves time and provides convenience for customers.
- Cash can be withdrawn directly from ATM.
- Different items on the internet can be purchased through credit cards provided by banks.
- Banks use computers to maintain customer accounts.
Uses of computer in departmental store:
- It’s use has made business activities fast and accurate.
2. Sales data can be entered in the computer by using bar code reader.
What are the uses of barcode reader?
The barcode contains the price of a particular item. The computer uses this input to calculate bills. The record of sale is stored in a computer. This record can be used to analyze accounts and stock inventory.
Uses of computer in office Automation:
Many tasks are performed in an office like decision making, data manipulation, document handling and communication etc. Many computer technologies are used to perform these activities easily.
What is office Automation?
Office Automation is the process of automating office tasks using computers.
What are the types of computers?
There are three types of computers :
- Analog computers
- Digital computers
- Hybrid computers
What are analog computers?
- Recognizes data as a continuous measurement of physical property (e.g. Voltage, pressure speed)
- Does not operate on digital signals
- Low memory & fewer functions
- Difficult to operate & use
- Built for specifial purposes
Where are analog computers used?
They are mostly used in engineering and medicine.
Examples of analog computers:
- Speedometer is used to measure speed of car.
- Analog clock measures time by distance traveled by hands of clock around a dial.
- Thermometer is an analog device that measures the length of mercury column
What are digital computers?
- A digital computer processes data in numerical form using digital circuits.
- Performs arithmetic and logic operations with discrete values (0 & 1)
- Everything is described in two states of ON and OFF
- 1 represents ON and 0 represents OFF
- Very fast computers
- They come in a variety of sizes, speed and capacities.
Where are digital computers used?
They’re commonly used at homes and in offices etc.
What are the two important digital computers?
Apple Macintosh and IBM PC
Examples of digital comouters:
- Digital watch (because it changes from one discrete value to the other)
- Digital scoreboard directly counts discrete values such as the time left to play and the score of each team.
