Fundamental of computing and

programming
2 Marks :

Unit 1

1. Define computer.
Computer is a fast operating electronic device, which automatically accepts
and store input data, processes them and produces results under the
direction of step by step program.
2. Define data and information.
Data It is the fact or raw material for the information processing.
Information The processed data is called information.
3.What are the basic operations of a computer?
The basic operations of the computers are
1. Input
2. Process
3. Output
4. Storing
5. Controlling
4. What do you mean by input and output?
Input - Process of capturing or acquiring the information by using input
devices such as keyboard, mouse, etc.
Output It is the result which comes from transformation process (input to
output).
5. What are the applications of computer?
The computer is used to assert man in business, research, etc.
The main area is which, the computers are used,
Business application
o Payroll and personal records
o Office automation
Banking
o Insurance and stock broking
Scientific research
Industrial application
Medicine
Communication
o Air travel
o Transportation
o Road traffic controls,etc.
Education
Engineering Design

Space technology
Metrology
Information system
6. What are the characteristics of computers?
The characteristics of the computers are
Speed
Accuracy
Automation
Endurance
Versatility
Storage
Cost reduction
No intelligent quotient
Resource sharing
7. What is meant by Endurance?
Computer can go on working continuously and does not suffer from the
human traits of tiredness and lack of concentration. If four million
calculations have to be performed then it will perform the four-millionth
calculation with exactly the same accuracy and speed as the first
calculation. This characteristic of computer is called as endurance.
8. What do you meant by versatility?
The computer can be put to various jobs and has applications in
various fields. Computers have been playing key role in fields such as
weather forecasting, research, office automation, railways, medicine and
etc. This characteristic of computer is called as versatility.
9. What do you meant by resource sharing?
Computers have the capability to connect to with each other. Data,
information and devices like printer, scanner, etc., can be shared among group of
computers.
10. Specify the reasons to use computers.
Because of the regions of the computers are become a part of day today
life of human being.
Where accuracy to be improved.
Where delays are to be minimized.
Where high volume data is required to store.
Where efficiency and economy is required.
Where one has to cope with growth.
Where constant and permanent operations to do.

11. Who are all the users of computers?

The users of computers are,

End users
Application programmers
End users - an end user would purchase a complete computer system with
hardware and software and use it as a tool to aid their every day
work.
Application programmers application programmers are the specialists who
implement software
packages in a particular application. They
require knowledge of internal workings of the computer system.
12. What are the limitations of computer?
There can be two types of limits of computer operations, namely
Internal
External
Internal If incorrect information is fed into the computer, it will give incorrect
result. If there is a slight variation in the instructions given to the
computer, it cannot correct and it would only obey the incorrect
instructions.
External There could be errors due to power failures, voltage problem and due
to viruses. This type of problems comes under external limitations.
13. What are all the classifications of computer?
The computers are classified as follows,
Based on hardware design
Based on utility
Based on size and capacity
Based on mode of use
14. Difference between analog and digital computer.
Analog computer
Digital computer
It operate by measuring
It operate by counting
It requires physical analog
It function on discrete number
The output is in the forms
The output is in the forms of discrete values of
graph.
Less speed
High speed
Limited application
Many number of application
15. Define super computer and its advantages?
Super computer in most powerful of all computers, Its specially designed
to maximize the number of flops (floating point operation per second).
Advantages:
They process at a rapid speed.
They have more main memory
They have operations done in parallel, rather than sequentially

16. Define personal computer?

Personal computers were mainly designed to meet the personal computing

requirements of users at working place or at home.
17. What are the types of models?
Personal computers are usually designed with the following two models.
Desktop model
Tower model
Desktop model:
The monitor is positioned on the top of the CPU box.
Tower model:
The CPU model is designed to stand by the side of the monitor. It allows the
CPU box to be positioned even on the floor or under the working desk of the
computer.
18. Define client and server with suitable diagram?
Server:
It is a large computer that manages a shared resource and provides a
set of shared user services to the client.
Client:
It is a single user personal computer or workstations and supports a
user friendly interface with the end user.
It sends request to the server and then gains access with the server
Client

Network

Server

19. Compare micro and mini computer.

Micro computer
Mini computer
Memory size is 8 to 64 KB
Memory size is 10 MB to 128 MB
Speed is 1000 KIPS
Speed is 500 KIPS 5 MIPS
Word length 8 bits one user
Word length 16-32 bits 4-8 user
Cost range $400-$1000
Range $10,000-$20,000
Popular Series APPLE-II
Popular series IBM,VAX
20. What are the functional units of a computer?
Input Unit
Central Processing Unit
Output Unit
21. List some of the input devices and output devices.
Input devices
Keyboard
Mouse
Light Pen
Digitizer
Track ball
Joystick

 OCR(Optical Character Recognizer)

MICR(Magnetic Ink Character Recognizer)
OMR(Optical Mark Recognizer)
Output devices
Visual Display Unit(VDU) or monitor
Printer
Computer output microfilm
Plotter
22. What is mean by computer generation?
The computer generation means step by step growth in the technology. It
is often used in relation to the hardware of computer. Each phase of computer
has been extended to include both hardware and software together makes up an
entire computer system.
23. Specify the advantages of second generation
Small in size
Better reliability.
Computational time is micro second.
Less heat generated.
Better speed and portability.

24. What are the two types of memory?

Primary storage
Stores and access information very fastly
It is also known as system memory, internal, temporary and
RAM
Secondary storage
Stores several programs, documents, database, etc.
Also known as auxiliary storage, disk storage, external, long terms.
It is a Permanent storage.
25. What are the components, languages and speed used for first, second, third,
fourth, fifth generation?
S.N Generation of Components used
Speed
Languages used
o
computer
1
I
Vacuum tubes (or) Milli
Machine
(binary)
thermonic value
seconds
Language
2
II
Transistors
Micro
Assembly language
seconds
3
III
Integrated Circuits
Nano
High level languages,
Seconds
BASIC, etc
1

10
nano
4
IV
Micro processor
Seconds
4 GL
1 100

Artificial
Intelligence

nano
Seconds

Artificial Intelligence

26. What are the tasks performed by computer?

Receiving input
Processing the information
Storing the information
Producing output

27. Draw the block diagram of basic computer organization.

Input Unit

Control
Unit
Memory
Unit
Secondary
Arithmetic
storage
Unit &
Logical Unit

Output
Unit

28. What are the widely adopted number systems?

The most widely adopted number systems are,
Decimal number system (0, 1, 2 ..9).
Octal number system (0, 1, 2.7).
Hexadecimal number system (0, 1, 2,..9, A, B, .F).
Binary number system (0,1)

29. Define radix.

The number of digits in a number system is called radix or base.
The decimal number system has radix 10, the binary number system
has radix 2
This method of counting uses non positional number system or
additive approach.
30. Explain positional number system.
The positional number uses only few symbols called digits. Such symbol
specifies different values depending on the position they occupy in the
number.
The position of the digits indicates the significance to be attached to
that digit.
31. What is a non positional number system?
In olden days human beings counted the number using their fingers.
When 20 fingers were not adequate, stones or sticks were used to indicate
values.

32. Mention the 3 considerations used to identify values of each digit in a

number.
The 3 considerations are,
The digits
The position of the digits in the number
The base or radix of the number system.

33. Explain LSD and MSD.

LSD Least Significant Bit
MSD most Significant Bit
The right most bit is called LSD and Left most bit is called MSD
34. Give the reasons for using binary number.
The computer has been designed to use binary number because,
o The circuits in computer have to handled by binary digits rather then
decimal number.
o The computer only identify signals in the forms of digital pulses,
which represents either high or low voltage.
o Everything that can be done with decimal number can also be done
using binary numbers.
35. Mention the methods to convert the decimal number into other number
system.
The methods used to convert the decimal number into other system are,
o Reminder method
o Power method
36. Write down the steps to be performed under power method.
Subtract the highest number which is obtained by raising the base to the
power of the proposed system, r1 be the remainder.
Subtract the next highest number from this remainder r1
This process should be repeated until the remainder is zero.
Write the multiplication factor in the sequential order in such a way that the
powers which have been used should be multiplied by 1 and the ones
missing should be multiplied by zero.
37. Give the advantages of hexadecimal system over the octal system.
For long computer word length the hexadecimal representation of binary
number is shorter.
For the word length divisible by 4 but not by 3 the hexadecimal system is
more convenient.
The octal number system will require to add extension of zero bits ahead of
the MSD to make four digits.
38. Convert the binary real number 1110.1011 to its equivalent octal number.
1110.1011 001 110 . 101 100

1
1110.101

(2)

6.5

16.54(8)

39. Who invented Abacus? What is the use of it?

The Chinese invented a calculating device called abacus also known as
SOROBAN
It performs addition and subtraction.
40. Define punched card.
A punched card is a piece of stiff paper that contains digital
information represented by the presence or absence of holes in predefined
positions.
41. Who is called Father of Computer? What is the principle used by him?
Charles Babbage is called Father of Computer.
His device is based on the principle difference between certain values is
always constant in various formulae used by mathematician.
42. Which is called first electro-mechanical computer? Who invented it?
Mark I Digital computer is the first electro-mechanical computer.
It was invented by Howard Aiken.
43. What is accumulator?
Accumulator is a processor register for storing intermediate results,i.e., it
holds results of arithmetic & logical operations.
44. Define Vacuum tube.
A vacuum tube is a glass tube surrounding a vacuum (an area from which
all gases have been removed).
45. What is the use of register?
A register is an electrical component that has two terminals across which
electricity must pass & is designed to drop the voltage of the current as it
flows from one terminal to the next.
46. Define microprocessor.
Microprocessor is a little chip that performs
Multiplication & division.
Example: Intel Pentium chip, Power PC chip

addition,

subtraction,

47. Which is called Computer APPLE-1? Who invented it?

o Personal computer is called Computer APPLE-1.
o It was invented by Steve Wozniak.
48. Give some examples of Microprocessors used as CPU since 1995.
Pentium, PowerPC, Celeron, AMD, IBM, ATHLON, ZELOG, CYREX.

Possible 12 mark Questions.

1. Explain in detail about various characteristics of computers?
2. Explain the various reasons to use computers?
3. What are all the features and capabilities of computers?
4. Explain in detail about classification of computer?
5. Comparison of characteristics of computer and difference between analog and
digital computer?
6. Discuss important features of various generations of computer system. Give
some examples of computer for each generation.
7. Explain in detail about the basic computer organization?
8. Define number system and explain the two basic types of number system.
9. Explain any two widely adopted number system.
10. Explain the conversion of decimal number system to all other number with
example.
11. Explain hexadecimal to octal conversion and vice versa, with the advantages
over each.
12. Explain about Evolution of computer.