Information Technology Center

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Updated : March 29th, 2009
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TYPES OF DATA

As mentioned before, data refers to raw facts collected from various sources, but not organized or defined in a meaningful way.

Several different types of data can be processed by a computer. These include numerical data ( 7, 12, 100 ), character data ( name, address ), graphical data (charts, drawings, photographs ), sound ( music, speach ), and video data.

Data is represented by on and off states of the computers' electronic circuitry. The symbols used to represent on and off are 0 and 1 ( binary digits).

BIT

The word "bit" is formed by concatenating or bringing together of parts of two words: Binary and Digit. A binary digit is the smallest unit of data a computer can process

Combinations of zeros and ones are used to represent characters.Eight binary digits make one byte.

CHARACTERS

A character can be a letter of the alphabet, a digit ( 1, 7, 9 ) or a special symbol ( %, $, # ). In many computers eight bits are used to represent a character and is called a byte

ASCII

ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is a seven bit code and is widely used throughout the computer industry. Computers can communicate with each other only if they speak the same language. ASCII thus serves as the industry standard for micro-computers to communicate.

What is Information?

Information is processed data. It increases understanding and helps us make intelligent decisions. To be useful information must have the following qualities - it must be accurate, timely, relevant, complete, clear and verifiable.

Why use a computer?

Computers perform calculations very quickly. They are accurate. They allow us to store large volumes of information in a small space. They are not expensive. They can be used for both entertainment as well as serious office work. They allow us to communicate with others across the globe if we have internet access.

What is a program?

Computers can do all of these things for us because they are programmable. Which means that we provide computers with a list of instructions for them to follow and they work on the data we provide them with to provide us with information. A list of instructions written in a language a computer can execute is called a computer program.

Your Turn

1. What is a computer?
2. What are the three operations performed by all computers?
3. What is data?
4. What is processing?
5. What type of computer is the most powerful and what is it used for?
6. What are the main benefits to using a computer?
7. What are hard and soft copies?
8. What is the name given to the smallest unit of data?
9. Data can be represented in several ways name four.
10. A collection of eight bits forms what?

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