CHAPTER (TRANSFORMING DATA INTO
INFORMATION)
Ramla Sheikh
Department of Information Technology
University of Haripur
How Computers Represent Data
Number • A manner of counting
• Several different number systems
systems exist
Decimal • Used by humans to count
• Contains ten distinct digits
number • Digits combine to make larger
system numbers
How Computers Represent Data
Binary number
system
Two 0 and 1
Used by
distinct combine
computers
digits, 0 to make
to count
and 1 numbers
How Computers Represent Data
Bits and
bytes
Binary Bit Byte
A byte is 8
numbers are represents a represents
bits
made of bits switch one character
How Computers Represent Data
Text codes
Standard
Converts
codes Extended
letters into ASCII Unicode
necessary for ASCII
binary
data transfer
American
Graphics and All languages
English
other symbols on the planet
symbols
How Computers Process Data
Central Processing
The Unit
CPU Brain of the
computer
Controls resources in computer
Control unit
Instruction set
Arithmetic logic Simple math operations
unit
Registers
How Computers Process Data
Steps by CPU to process
Machine data
cycles Instruction cycle CPU gets the instruction
Execution cycle CPU performs the
instruction
Billions of cycles per
second
Pipelining processes more
data
Multitasking allows
multiple instructions
How Computers Process Data
Stores open
programs and data
Small chips on
Memory
the motherboard
More memory makes
a computer faster
How Computers Process Data
Nonvolatile memory
Basic
Holds data Read Only Input Power On
when power Memory Output Self Test
is off (ROM) System (POST)
(BIOS)
How Computers Process Data
Flash
memory
Data is Special
permanently form of Camera
stored in nonvolatile cards, USB
it. memory
How Computers Process Data
Random Data in CPU reads
Requires CPU can
Access RAM has data
power to read any
Memory an using the
hold data address
(RAM) address address
Volatile memory
Components affecting Speed
Registers
A program counter is a register in a computer processor
that contains the address (location) of the instruction
being executed at the current time.
the function of the instruction register is to hold that
currently queued instruction for use.
MAR holds the memory location of data that needs to be
accessed.
Accumulator register acts as a temporary storage location
which holds an intermediate value in mathematical and
logical calculations.
Register Representation in CPU
Affecting Processing Speed
Computer is
out of actual
RAM
Virtual RAM
Computer Least
swaps data to recently used
virtual RAM data is moved
Affecting Processing Speed
The computer’s internal clock
Every tick causes Speeds measured in
a cycle Hertz (Hz)
Modern machines use
Giga Hertz (GHz)
Affecting Processing Speed
The bus
Electronic Expansion
System bus Bus width Speed is
pathway bus
connects is measured tied to the
between connects to
CPU and RAM in bits clock
components peripherals
Affecting Processing Speed
Affecting Processing Speed
•Industry Standard Architecture
(ISA)
External •Local bus
•Peripheral control interface
bus •Accelerated graphics port
standards •Universal serial bus
•IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
•PC Card
Affecting Processing Speed
Peripheral
control
interface
(PCI)
Connects Found in
modems and most modern
sound cards computers
Affecting Processing Speed
Connects video
card to
motherboard
Accelerated
Extremely fast
Graphics Port
bus
(AGP)
Found in all
modern computers
Affecting Processing Speed
Connects external
devices
Hot swappable
Universal Serial
Bus (USB)
Allows up to 127
devices
Cameras,
printers, and
scanners
Affecting Processing Speed
Used on
laptops
PC Card Hot swappable
Devices are
the size of a
credit card
Affecting Processing Speed
• Very fast memory
Cache • Holds common or recently used data
• Speeds up computer processing
• Most computers have several caches
memory • L1 holds recently used data
• L2 holds upcoming data
• L3 holds possible upcoming data
Cache Memory Illustration
