Computer Fundamentals
Computer Fundamentals
SEMESTER : 01
COURSE NAME : DBB1105- COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS
Assignment set-1
Q-1: a. Define Computers?
b. What are the key characteristics of each generation of computers. Explain.
Ans-1: Computer: Computer is an electronic machine that compute an input to a desired
output. Computer can compute large data in a few seconds that has helped human managing
big calculations. Parts of computer can be divided in three parts
1- Input devices: Key Board, mouse
2- Processing device: Central processing unit (CPU)
3- Out Put device: Monitor, printer etc.
Characteristics of computer:
1- Speed: Computer is electronic device which calculate big data very fast. Speed unit
of computer is MHz (Mega Hartz). This mean10 lacs instructions in one second.
Latest computers are much more faster and can process 1 billon and more
instructions in just one second.
2- Storage: computer can store large data and we can retrieve data instantly.
3- Accuracy: Computers are accurate in calculation. The results depend on the
accuracy of input data, if input is correct, out put will be according correct.
4- Reliability: Computers are reliable.
5- Automatic: Computers can calculate automatically without human interference.
6- Diligence / Endurance : Computer can work for long ours without failure. It
performs the operation with same speed after long hours also.
Generations of Computers:
1st Generation of computers: (1942-1955): 1st generation of computer were vacuum tube
based. Vacuum tubes were used for circuitry and magnetic drums for storing data. In these
computers only one task could be done at one time. ENIAC, EDVAC are examples of this
2nd Generation Computers: (1955: 1964): Vacuum tubes were replaced with transistor in 2nd
generation computers. The size of the transistor is small so the size of the computer was reduced
many folds. These computers used magnetic cores as primary memory and magnetic disc as
secondary storage device. IBM1401, IBM7090 are examples of this.
3rd generation Computers: (1965-1974): The Integrated Circuit (IC) was used in 3rd
generation of computers. It consists of single chip with the components like transistors and
resistors fabricated on it.
In the first and second gen of computers the punch cards and printout were used to ineract with
computers. 3rd and 4th gen onwards keyboards are used.
Example: NCR395, B6500
4th Generation Computers: (1975-till date): Microprocessors (containing millions of
transistors) are being used in 4th generation computers as a processing unit. This generation led
to the growth of large scale integration (LSI), Very large scale Integration (VLSI) and ultra
large scale integration (ULSI) technology which contains million of transistors in one unit.
This resulted as smaller size of computers and cheaper.
This generation computer also adopted graphical user interface mouse and hand-held devices.
IBM worked with Microsoft in 1980s to develop PC (Personal computer) which we use today.
MSDOS (Microsoft Disk Operating system) was integrated with IBM computers. Later
Microsoft developed Microsoft Windows for computers which have many improvements and
being used till today.
5th Generation of Computers: The fifth generation computers use technology of AI (Artificial
Intelligence). In which computer accepts local languages, learn and analyse the inputs and
process the inputs extremely fast speed. It uses ULSI (Ultra large scale Integration) technology
which consist millions of transistors to achieve this high speed. The output of these computers
is in the form of graphics, speech etc. These days fifth generation computer use is increasing
rapidly.
Q-2: Convert (1D7F)16 to an Octal system number and (5A9.63)16 to a decimal system
number
Ans-2:
First we will concert hexadecimal to decimal
(1D7F)16 = (1x163)+(13x162)+(7x161)+(15x160 ) = 4096+3328+112+15 = (7551)10
and now we will convert decimal to octal number
(7776)10 to octal
8 7551 Remainder
8 943 7
8 117 7
8 14 5
8 1 6
0 1
Other than the basic formatting options, there are some advanced options in MS
word:
1- Creating a table: From menu bar, go to insert option, select table, select number
of rows, number of columns.
1.1 After inserting table select table, table design menu bar will appear, we can
select desire design of the table.
1.2 Adding row and column: we can add or delete rows and columns from the lay
out menu bar.
1.3 Auto fit behaviour: when we draw table autofit behaviour also appears we
can select the option as per our requirement.
1.4- Shading and or highlighting of the contents.
1.5- First row, total row, fist column, last column, banded row, banded column option
is also available in the advance feature of the word.
1.6-Splitting cells: From table layout menu click on split cell tab and split the cell in
desired columns and rows.
2-Styles : Style are the shortcut to formatting. Style enable to a group of formatting to
be stores as a single style and applied across the document.
From Home tab, select create style, give name of the style and make your own
style as per the requirement.
Apply style. After applying style will be applied to whole document.
Mange style : we can mange style by selecting manage style widget.
Thus there are many other options in the Manage style :
a) Recommended tabs
b) Restrict tabs
c) Default tabs
We can use them as per our requirement.
Q-5: Enlist the main functions of the operating system. Describe various components of
operating systems.
Ans-5: Main functions of operating system are as under:
1- Resource management: this function of operating system allocates resources such
as CPU time, main memory, secondary storage, and input and output devices for
use.
One cane view resource management in two points of view:
Resource Manager, and
Extended machine
Resource Manager : Operating system manage the different parts of system
efficiently.
Extended Machine: Operating system provides a virtual machine to users that
is more convenient to use.
2- Data management: The term data management itself describes those operating
system functions that control the flow of data from an input/output (I/O) device to
the processing program's data buffer and vice versa. Application program deals with
file name, storage location within the file. the operating system knows where the
data is stored and it communicate with the input and output devices when required.
3- Job Management: Job Management controls the order and time in which
applications are run and is more sophisticated in the mainframe environment where
scheduling the daily work has always been routine. For example the reminders and
massages send automatically at scheduled time by banks and other agencies. IBM
developed JCL (job control language) decades ago and in use still.
4- Task Management: Multitasking is requirement of every desktop today so that we
can open multiple application at one time and use them quickly as and when
required. Today every operating system is capable to do so.
5- Device Management: As the name suggests, operating system’s device
management feature controls the peripheral devices connected to operating system.
It sends and receive commands to and from them, The software routine that deals
with device is called “driver” and the operating system requires drivers for the
peripheral attached to the computer. When a new device is added, that device’s
driver is installed in to the operating System.
6- User Interface: User interface is the property of operating system by which user
interacts with the operating system. Graphical interface is given in most of the
devices to interact with the users. The most important components of the user
interface are the command interpreter, the file system, online help, and application
integration.
Q-6: Discuss the TCP/IP protocol layers with the help of a diagram. Explain how the internet
works.
Ans-6: Communication between computer on a network is done through protocol suit. The
most widely used and available protocol suit is TCP/IP protocol suit. A protocol suits consist
of a layered architecture where each layer depicts some functionality which can be carried out
by a protocol. Usually, each layer has more than one protocol option to carry out the
responsibility that the layer adheres to. TCP/IP (Transmission control protocol/Internet
protocol) is normally considered to be a 4 layer system. 4 layers are as follows 1-Application
layer, 2- Transport Layer, 3-Internet Layer, 4- Network interface and hardware. These layered
representation leads to the term stack which refers to stack of layers in protocol suits.
Application Applications
Transport TCP/UDP
Internet IP ICMP
ARP / RARP