Hardware

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Input, Output and Storage

A common feature of every computer is that its user always has some information to be processed. The user may type in the data, then press a key or perform some other action so the processing can take place. When the job is complete, the answer is produced. So we have three stages; input,processing and output.

What is a Computer?

A computer is an electronic machine that can follow a set of instructions to input process, store and output data.

Let's look at each part of that sentence,

ELECTRONIC- Computers are electronic devices. They use tiny electric currents, flowing through, to do work easily.

MACHINE- This is a device to do work easily.

INSTRUCTIONS- The computer must have a sequence of instructions, given in a program. The computer will follow this sequence, so the program is essential in getting the computer to do its job.

INPUT- is when data is typed in or otherwise entered into the computer.

PROCESS- The computer processes data, just as you could process your ingredients to get a tasty cooked meal. Think of the computer program as a recipe with instructions to follow.

STORE- A compute not only processes data , but can store or save it too.

OUTPUT- This is when the computer displays text or graphics on the screen, prints,plays sounds or otherwise communicates to the user.

DATA- This is the raw information to be processed - just like the raw food!!!!

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