ICT YEAR 9D- LEARNING PACK 1.
2020 (NOTES)
Computer systems
1. Personal safety rules:
• Obtain teacher's permission before performing any activity in the laboratory.
• Report fire or accidents to your teacher immediately.
• Report to your teacher if you notice any broken plug or cables.
• Sit in front of your computer in the right posture.
• Avoid stepping on any wires or cables.
• Do not run, play, eat or drink in the laboratory.
• Do not open the system unit casing or monitor casing especially when the power
is ON.
• Do not insert any metal objects into the computer casings. It may cause fire.
• Do not touch, connect or disconnect any cable without teacher's permission.
2. Use this checklist as a guide to safe and healthy computing.
□ Sit comfortably at your desk.
□ The chair should suit the height of the desk.
□ Lower back, feet and thighs should be supported.
□ Knees bent at right angles.
□ Clearance between desk and thighs.
□ Monitor positioned centrally on the desk. □
□Minimise glare and reflections of monitor.
□ Your eyes should be approximately 50 cm away from your monitor.
□ Good lighting to comfortably read instructions without reflections on the screen.
□ Take regular breaks from looking at the monitor.
□ All electrical pads and plugs installed properly.
□ Keep fingers out of internal parts of the computer or peripherals.
3. Characteristics of a computer:
A Computer
• is an automatic machine.
• is a data processing machine that processes data quickly and accurately.
• is a tool we use to help us to work.
• helps us to store information, process data and solve problems.
• has no feelings or emotions like human beings.
• can recall any stored information when needed.
• has a storage capacity for storing data and instruction.
• cannot think on its own, but follows instructions.
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ICT YEAR 9D- LEARNING PACK 1.2020 (NOTES)
4. Computer Basics:
A computer system needs hardware and software to function.
Peripheral devices are to the system according to the needs of the user
(a) Hardware: Physical parts of the computer that we can see and touch.
Monitor: To display information
System Unit: To process data and instructions & To store data
Keyboard: To key in data and instructions
Mouse: To point, click and select menus and icons and
for onscreen navigation
(b) Software: A computer needs a set of instructions called a program, in order to
function. A computer programs are also known as software.
Microsoft office
CorelDraw
XBOX 360
Adobe Creative Suite
(c) Peripheral devices: Devices which can be connected to the system unit to enhance
its function. They are part of the hardware of a computer system.
printer
Webcam
Scanner
External Hard disk
Speakers
5. Types of computers:
Three main types of computers are Microcomputer, Minicomputer, Mainframe
(a) A Microcomputer is a
• smaller, single-user and slow computer, commonly known as pc.
Applications: Word Processing, Spreadsheet,
E-mail, Gaming,
Home entertainment
example: Desktops, Laptops, Notebooks, PDA and Palmtops
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ICT YEAR 9D- LEARNING PACK 1.2020 (NOTES)
(b) Minicomputers are
• multi-user computers.
• bigger in size.
• faster in speed.
Applications: Control Automated Teller Machines (ATM) at banks,
Hospital registration,
Inventory control at
supermarkets example: IBM 36, HP 9000
(c) Mainframes / super computers are
• multi-user computers.
• larger and faster than microcomputers.
• greater storage capacity than microcomputers.
Applications: Detect oil and gas fields, In Oil exploration,
Ticket reservation, Weather forecasting,
Space vehicle control
example: Cray-2, VAX 9000
6. The main parts of a computer are System unit, Monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer
7. A system is a group of components designed for a particular job.
example: CD (compact disk) player
8. Computers are data processing machines. Data processing involves 4 steps:
• Input, processing, output, storage
9. Two main groups of computers are
• General-purpose computers and Special-purpose computers
10. A General-purpose computer is
designed to do many kinds of jobs.
Usually cheaper.
example: Desktop and Laptop computers used at home
11. A Special-purpose computer is
designed to do a specific job.
usually expensive.
example:ATM in banks, Computers in aircrafts, Traffic light system, Control
MRT train, Appliances with embedded chips
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ICT YEAR 9D- LEARNING PACK 1.2020 (NOTES)
12. Desktop computers
• are not portable.
• always have to be plugged into an AC Power outlet.
13. Laptop computers
• are portable.
• are equipped with a rechargeable battery.
14. An input device is
• any hardware device that sends data to the computer.
• a device without which users can interact with a computer.
example:keyboard, pointing devices (mouse, light pen, touchpad,
touchscreen), microphone, Joystick, scanner, barcode reader,
webcam, digital camera, MICR, OCR, OMR, etc.,
15. An output device
• displays information that has been held or generated within a computer or
• displays processed data from the system.
example: Monitor, Printer, Speaker, Plotter, etc.,
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ICT YEAR 9D- LEARNING PACK 1.2020 (NOTES)
16. The 'brain' of the computer is called a processor. Modern small processors
are called microprocessors (microchips). Microchips are made from silicon.
17. A Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• consists of Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), Control unit and Memory unit.
• performs processing tasks.
• controls all peripherals.
18. Advantages of embedded computers (microchips) installed in household appliances
• They are Automatic, Cheaper,
• Programmable, Smaller and Portable
example:Calculator, washing machine, microwave, Telephone,
television, camera, dishwasher, car, etc.,
• The speed of a computer / processor is measured in Hertz (Hz).
Larger units are Kilohertz (KHz), Megahertz (MHz), Gigahertz (GHz)
19. Hardwares (Peripherals)
• are the different parts that make up a functioning computer.
• are different parts of the computer that you can see and touch.
example: Keyboard, Mouse, Printer, Monitor, etc
20. A hard copy is a printed copy of information from a computer.
21. A soft copy is an electronic copy of some type of data, such as a file viewed on a
computer's display or transmitted as an e-mail attachment.
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