SS 1 ICT 2ND TERM WORK

OUTPUT DEVICES

An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to communicate the results of
data processing carried out by a computer to the outside world. In computing, input/output, or I/O,
refers to the communication between information and processing system (such as a computer), and the
outside world. Outputs are the signals or data sent by the system to the outside world.

Features and uses of output devices

The types of output devices are:

 Monitor
 Printer
 Speaker
 Plotter
MONITOR

The most frequently used output device is the monitor also known as the Visual Display Unit (VDU). The
monitor is the electronic device used to displaying output (soft copy) generated by the computer.
Images are formed on the monitor by individual dots or picture elements called pixels. It is capable of
producing clear images in different colours.

PRINTER

In computing, a Printer is a peripheral which produces a text and/or graphics of documents stored in
electronic form, usually on physical print media such as papers or transparencies. Many printers are
primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or a USB cable to computer
which serves as a document source. Some printer commonly known as network printers, have built-in
network interfaces (typically wireless and/or Ethernet), and can serve as a hardcopy device for any user
on the network. Individual printers are often designed to support both local and network connected
users at the same time.

SPEAKER

A loudspeaker or speaker is an electro-mechanical transducer which converts an electrical signal into

sound. The term loudspeaker is used to refer to both the device itself, and a complete system consisting
of one or more loudspeaker drivers (as the individual units are often called) in an enclosure. The
loudspeaker is the most valuable element in an audio system, and is responsible for marked audible
differences between systems. This is an output device that is external to a computer that is used to
output sound.

PLOTTER

A plotter is a computer printing device for printing vector graphics. In the past, plotters were widely
used in applications such as Computer-Aided Design.

STRUCTURE, TYPES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE MONITORS

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A computer monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and enclosure. The function of a computer
monitor basically is to display text and graphics.

Display Device

This is where the text and graphics are displayed.

Circuitry

The circuitry is the entire electronic components located in the monitor. The internal electronic
components are not visible. The external electronic components i.e. the ports and wires at the back of
the monitor transfers electricity into the internal electronic components. This supplies the monitor
power in order to display text and graphics.

Enclosure

These are panels covering the monitor.

TYPES OF MONITORS

The two types of monitors are:

a. Monochrome monitors
b. Colored monitors
Monochrome monitors:

Monochrome monitors displays text and graphics in one color only. Generally, the colours range from
gray to black to white. They were used to display text on traditional monitors [Link] Monitor.

Colored monitors:

All modern monitors are nearly colored monitors. The display a myriad of colours of text and graphics.
Most personal computers today use color monitors e.g. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).

TYPES OF PRINTERS

 Impact printers
 Non-impact printers
IMPACT PRINTERS

An impact printer forms characters and graphics on a piece of paper by striking a mechanism against an
ink ribbon that is in physical contact with the paper. Consequent on this striking activity, impact printers
generally are noisy. Examples are: Line printers, Daisy wheel printer and Dot Matrix printers.

Line printers

Line printers have a spinning horizontal drum that stretches the full width of the paper which is
separated from it by an inked ribbon. The drum is made up of 132 thin cylinders each having a complete
set of characters. Behind the paper is a row of 132 hammers that strike the paper at the right moment
to select the required character from the corresponding cylinder. In this way, it is able to print a
complete line at a time. Line printers are used for high volume low quality output and very noisy.

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Daisy Wheel Printers

On a daisy wheel printer the complete set of characters is held on a removable wheel which consists of a
central collar radiating out from which are a set of spokes, each ending in single character. The wheel
spins round to align the required character with a single hammer. The hammer and wheel assembly
moves across the paper striking it through an inked ribbon. These printers can produce high quality
output but are limited to the range of characters on the wheel. Changing wheels is simple, this provides
alternative fonts, but it is no substitute if a wide range of fonts are required. They are quite noisy and
are used for low volume office work.

Dot Matrix printers

Dot matrix printers have a horizontally moving head with pins mounted inside. An inked ribbon is
located between the head and the paper and as the paper moves the pins strike the ribbon to form each
character as a series of dots. The best quality printers have heads with 24 pins and low quality ones have
9 pins (although by making two passes and shifting the head half a pin pitch between them they can
effectively act as an 18 pin head). These printers can produce dots anywhere on the paper, support
graphics and have soft ware fonts. They are mostly for low to medium quality, low volume personal use.
They are obsolete now.

NON-IMPACT PRINTER

A non-impact printer forms characters and graphics on a piece of paper without actually striking the
paper. Some spray ink, while others use pressure and heat to create images. Because these printers do
not strike the paper, they are less noisy than the impact printers. Examples are: Inkjet printers, Laser
printers and Thermal printers.

Inkjet Printers

This is a type of computer printer that reproduces a digital image by propelling variably sized droplets of
ink onto a page. Inkjet printers are the most common type of printer and ranges from small inexpensive
consumer models to very large and expensive professional machines: this is an alternative to daisy
wheel printer. It can be used in advertising and public relations.

Laser Printers

In a laser printer, paper is given an electro-static charge by passing it over a charged drum and then a
laser scans it discharging all clear areas. Next the paper is passed over a tray of powdered ink (toner)
which is attracted to the charged areas. Finally the toner is bonded to the paper by heat or pressure.
Laser printers are quiet and are used for high quality work or high volume work.

Thermal Printers

It produces a printed image selectively heating coated thermo chromic or thermal paper; when the
paper passes over the thermal printed heads. The coating turns black in the areas where it is heated,
producing an image. Two-color direct thermal printers are capable of printing both black and additional
color (often red), by applying heat at two different temperatures. It prints using very small wires to burn
a special paper. It uses the dot matrix principle and is noiseless.

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 COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PRINTERS

IMPACT PRINTER

S/NO Dot Matrix printers Daisy wheel printers

1. They produce quality documents Their output quality is low
compared to dot matrix printers.
2. They are very expensive They are cheaper than dot matrix
compared to daisy wheel printers.
printers.
3. They are used for printing text They are used for printing text,
documents only. charts and graphs.
4. Dot matrix printers are slow. Daisy wheel printers are not as
slow as Dot matrix printers

NON-IMPACT PRINTER

S/NO Inject Printers Laser Printers

1 They are very cheap and They are expensive compared to

affordable in price inject printers

2 They are usually slow in They are very fast in producing

producing hardcopies hardcopies

3 Inject printers are very Laser printers are not too portable
portable

4 Not suitable for mass Suitable for mass production

production

5 Useful in printing domestic Useful in printing domestic and

applications commercial applications

COMPUTER SYSTEM SOFTWARE

What is software?

Software, by definition is the collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that
perform different task on a computer system. The software is a program written by a programmer of
software developer. A program is a list of instructions given to the computer to perform a particular
task. The software is the intangible part of the computer system, though they come in CD’s according to
today’s standard.

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Types of software

There are two types of software:

1. System software
2. Application software
System software

SYSTEM SOFTWARE is a Computer software designed to operate the computer hardware and to provide
and maintain a platform for running application software. The basic examples of system software are:

1. Operating software
2. Utility software
3. Language translator
Operating software

An operating system is Software consisting of programs and data that runs the computer, manages
computer hardware resources and provides common services for execution of various application
software.

TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

1. Graphical user interface

2. Command based, and
3. Single user
4. Multi-user
5. Network operating system
Gui- graphical user interface

Operating systems of this class have interactive features which makes them user friendly, easier to use,
etc. Examples of this operating system include: MS, WINDOWS, LINUX, etc.

Command based operating system

Command based operating systems communicate via a command utility. Special commands are used to
access their features. Their operation requires an expert. Therefore a novice cannot easily work with
them. Examples of this operating system are: MS-DOS, Unix etc.

Single user operating system

A single user operating system is an operating system that is designed to manage the computer
resources and allocates them to one user. Examples are: MS-DOS, some version of Windows operating
system, etc.

Multi-user operating system

Multi-user operating system that allows concurrent access by multiple users of a computer. This
operating system allows more than one program concurrently or at the same time. The process of
running more than one program at the same time is known as MULTIPROGRAMMING. Note that a GUI
operating system or a command based operating system can also be classified as a multi user operating
system. Examples are: UNIX, XENIX, etc.
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Network operating system

A network operating system links computers and users together to share resources an communicate
with one another. Common examples of this operating system includes: Windows NT, Windows server
2003, etc.

Language translators

A language translator is software that converts programs written in a source code, into an object code
that a computer understands. Examples of high level programming languages that requires translators
are: BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, PASCAL etc.

Utility software

They are used for general house-keeping functions of the computer such as backing up files, repairing
the computer, copying, sorting and printing of data.

Examples of operating system

Common examples of operating systems are discussed below:

1. MS Windows (Microsoft window)

It is a single user GUI operating system. That is, only one person can use the system at a time.

Versions of windows operating system

1. Windows ‘95
2. Windows ‘98
3. Windows 2000
4. Windows ME (millennium edition)
5. Windows XP
6. Windows NT (New Technology)
7. Windows Vista
8. Windows 7, etc.
9. UNIX (A multi-user command line network operating system)
10. Novell Netware ( is a command line network operating system)
11. Linux: A GUI/command line multi-user and network operating system.
TYPES OF TRANSLATORS

The three types of language translators are:

1. Assemblers: Assemblers converts an Assembly program into machine code also known as the
object code or object program.
2. Compilers: A Compiler is a program that translates a high level language into machine code before
execution. The turbo Pascal compiler, for example, translates a program written in Pascal into
machine code that can be run on a PC.
3. Interpreters: An Interpreter is also a program that translates high-level source code into
executable code during execution. However the difference between a compiler and an
interpreter is that an interpreter translators one line at a time and then executes it

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 Examples of utility programs
Examples of utility software are:
I. Norton utilities
II. Anti- Virus
III. Windows Explorer
IV. Scandisk
V. Editors
COMPUTER APPLICATION SOFTWARE

What is Application Software?

These are software written to perform specific functions. The application software is written to solve
particular problem.
Types of Application Software
The two types of application software are:
1. User application software, and
2. Application Packages
User Application Software: User application software is designed to meet the need of specific users.
The software may be written for the user within an organization or contracted to external
programmers. This type of software is often referred to as tailor-made/ purpose-written

Application packages: these are commercialized software designed to perform various categories of
user functions.

CATEGORIES OF APPLICATION PACKAGES

Application packages can be classified into:

1. Application Specific, and

2. General purpose application packages.
Application Specific

These application packages are programs designed to carry out a specialized task.

General purpose

General purpose application packages are designed to provide users with general set of facilities to
handle a wide variety of problems.

PACKAGES FOR SPECIALIZED AREAS

Packages for specialized areas are based on the categories of application packages. These are:

APPLICATION SPECIFIC

The categories of application specific packages are:

 Payroll programs
 Education Management Software
 Accounting Software
 Statistical Software

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  Web design software, etc.
GENERAL PURPOSE

The following are categories of general purpose application packages:

 Word Processing
 Graphics Software
 Games software
 Database software
 Spreadsheet software.

PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
What is a programming language?

A programming language is a set of grammatical rulers for instructing a computer to perform specific
tasks the term programming language usually refer to high-level language, such as BASIC, C, C++,
COBOL, FORTRAN, Ada, and Pascal.

Level of programming language

There are basically three major levels of programming language.

1. Machine Language
2. Low-level Language
3. High-level language
Machine Language

Machine language is a system of importable instructions executed directly by a computer’s central

processing unit (CPU). It is the only language understood by computers. Machine languages are almost
impossible for humans to use because they consist entirely of numbers, I.e, 1100111. It require s no
translation. Therefore, it is difficult to write in machine language because the programmer must first of
all memorize the machine operational codes. This language is machine dependent, this means that a
program written in a machine language on a computer. Machine languages are low-level languages.

Low-level language

Low-level language is machine oriented. It can be converted to machine code without using a
compiler or interpreter, and the resulting code runs directly on the processor.

Typical examples of low-level language are Assembly language. Low-level languages are closer to the
hardware than the high-level programming languages, which are closer to human languages

Assembly language

Assembly languages have the same structure and set of commands as machine languages, but they
enable a programmer to use names instead of numbers. It use mnemonic codes or symbols such as ADD
for addition, STO for stop, SUB for subtraction etc. Assembly language programs are translated into
machine language by software called Assembler

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High-Level Language

High-level languages are considered high-level because they are closer to human languages and further
from machine languages. However, high level programming languages are problem oriented languages
and machine independent.

The following are classical examples of High level programming languages: FORTRAN
(FORmulaTRANslation), Pascal, COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language), BASIC (Beginner’s All-
purpose Instruction Code), C, etc.

FEATURES OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

Common feature of the three levels of programming language are:

Feature of Machine language:

1. Computers can understand and execute it directly

2. It users binary
3. It is machine dependent
4. Time consuming
Feature of low-level language:

1. Numericcode is used in writing the programs.

2. Symbolic addresses are used instead of machine addresses.
3. Very clumsy method of program written.
Feature of High -level language:

1. It is a compilation of symbols, sentences and words.

2. The high –level language Is a problem oriented language.
3. It is machine dependent.
4. It comprises of sets of rules that must be obeyed.
5. It is translated into machine code instructions.
Example of programming languages

Common examples of programming languages are:

1. Pascal
2. Cobol
3. Java
4. Visual Basic
5. FORTRAN
6. C++
7. C#- Pronounced C sharp, etc.

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 Comparison of levels of programming languages

S/N MACHINE LANGUAGES LOW LEVEL HIGH LEVEL

LANGUAGES LANGUAGES
It is directly understood It is not directly It is not directly
by the hardware. understood by the understood by the
1. hardware hardware
It is the most difficult to It is less difficult It is easier to
understand, since its than machine understand
written in binary. language compared to low
2. level language and
machine language
It offers the best It is equally fast but It is slower in
performance since it is not as fast as performance
directly executed by the machine language compared to lo level
`
3. computer and machine
language
It is dependent on the An Assembler is Compiler or
computer hardware. usually needed to interpreters are
4. translate to machine required for High
language level languages

BASIC PROGRAMMING
The Meaning of Basic

BASIC is one of the simplest programming languages. In computer programming, BASIC (an acronym
for Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a high- level programming languages. The
original BASIC was designed in 1964 by john George kemeny and Thomas Eugene Kurtz at Dartmouth
College in New Hampshire, USA to provide computer access to non-science students. At the time, nearly
all use of computers required writing custom software, which was something only scientists and
mathematicians tended to be able to do. The language and it variants became widespread on
microcomputers in the late 1970s. BASIC remains popular to this day in a handful of highly modified
dialects and a new languages influenced by BASIC such as Microsoft visual Basic. The language can be
used to solve problems covering a wide range of applications on many different types of digital
computers. In BASIC, statements are written in English-like and mathematical notations.

Basic character

BASIC character has character set consisting of the following characters

a. Alphabets A-Z

b. Digits 0-9

c. Special characters:+, -, *, /, \, () ., $, ;, :, +, >,<, “,^,etc.

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 BASIC STATEMENTS

In BASIC, programs are written in lines, each line starts with a line number which is a label of that
particular line. Each one of the line is called a statement. Line number can vary between 1 and 9999. The
computer caries out, or executers, statements in the order in which they are numbered. It makes
programming easier by always displaying programs in order of increasing statement numbers, so that
the order in which the program is listed is also the order in which it would be executed. Below are
common BASIC keyboards that are used to form BASIC statements:

 CLS
 REM
 LET
 READ
 INPUT
 DATA
 PRINT
 END

CLS
This means clear screen. Every BASIC program must begin with CLS to avoid getting unexpected
display on the screen.
Example:
10 CLS
20 ……………..
30 ………………
40 ……………..

REM
The REM means REMARK. Any BASIC statement that begins with REM is not executed. Therefore
it is used to make the program more readable. For example, it is used to introduce
Example:
10 REM “this program will calculate the total of two numbers”
20 …………
30 ………..
LET
The LET statement is used to assign a value of a variable.
Example:
10 LET A - 10 (assigns the value of 10 to A)
20 LET C - A + B (adds A+B and assigns the total to C)
30 LET B$ - “THANK YOU “(assigns to B$ the value THANK YOU)

INPUT
The INPUT statement allows a value, numeric or character string to be typed into the computer
via the keyboard and stored in the computer’s memory at the data name specified.

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Example:
10 INPUT A
Other variations of INPUT statement are:
INPUT C
The above statement allows a numeric value for C to be entered at the keyboard and stored in
the memory under the data name C
INPUT A$
This will allow a string value for A$ to be entered at the keyboard and stored under the data
name A$.
INPUT “ENTER NUMBER”; B
This will display “ENTER NUMBER” and enable the numeric value for B to be entered at the
keyboard and stored under the data name B.
INPUT “WHAT IS YOUR NAME?” D$
This will display “WHAT IS YOUR NAME?” during the execution of the program and enable a
string value for D$ to be entered through the keyboard and stored under the data name D$.
DATA
The READ and DATA statements work hand in hand they are used when large amount of data is
to be entered into the computer memory through the keyboard. It is used instead of the INPUT
statement when large amount of data is involved. Both the INPUT and the READ statement
cannot be used at the same time in a particular program. The total number of data items
supplied in the DATA statement must correspond with the total number of items in the READ
statement.
Example:

10 READ, A, B, C, D
20 DATA 20, 30, 40, 50

PRINT
This is an output statement that allows a literal or the content of the data name specified to be
printed on the monitor or printer.
Example:
PRINT “LEANING PROGRAMMING IS EASY” (this line will print “LEARNING PROGRAMMING IS
EASY” on the monitor and returns the cursor to the next line).
Other variations of PRINT statement are:
PRINT N
This will print a value for N on the monitor; if N contains a numeric value 100 will be printed on
the screen.
PRINT A$
This will print a value for A$ on the monitor, but if A$ contain a string value “WELL DONE” then
this will be printed on the screen.
PRINT
This is called a dummy print statement. It is a print statement without the list of data items to
be displayed. This leaves a line or space and continues execution on the next line.
PRINT “MY NAAAME IS”, B$
If the value of B$ is IKECHI then the computer will print MY NAME IS IKECHI.
END
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 This indicates the end of a BASIC program. It is compulsory otherwise the program will have no
end.
Example:
10 ….
30 END
BASIC Arithmetic Operators

The following are arithmetic operators in BASIC organized in their order of execution:

() Bracket

^ Exponential

/ Division

x Multiplication

+ Addition

- Subtraction
BASIC must follow the above order during the execution of the program.

BASIC Arithmetic Expressions

Algebraic expressions are similar in a way to BASIC arithmetic expressions except for differences in some
of their operations. As example of a BASIC arithmetic expression is:

S-(p*r)/2

The following are algebraic expressions and their corresponding BASIC arithmetic expression.

BASIC Arithmetic Expression

Algebraic Expression

a+b A+B

a-b A-B

B/C B/C

B5 B^5

B+cd B+C*d

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a=b*h A=B*H

X=ax-by+c/z X=A*X-B*Y+C/Z

a(b-c)2 /d+2 A*(B-C)^2/D+2

A=(-b+d) A=(-B+D)/(2*C)
2c

(x-y) (X-Y)/(X+Y)
(x+y)

Example:

Sign Arithmetic examples BASIC example Name of function

() 30+3 ( 30+3) Bracket

N2 n*n Exponential

/ 20/5 20 /5 Division

X 3x5 3*5 Multiplication

+ 12+10 12 + 10 Addition

- 18-10 18 – 10 Subtraction

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Evaluation of Arithmetic Expressions

One of the primary functions of a computer system is the ability to compute and this involves numerals
and signs in solving mathematic problems. We are familiar with the principle of evaluating algebraic
expression BODMAS but in BASIC programming it is called BEDMAS (Bracket, Exponentiation, Division,
Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction). This implies that when BASIC encounters an expression e. g.
X=A+B * (C * D), it is evaluated in the order – BEDMAS as show below.

(C * D) B *(C*D) A+B* (C*D) X=A=B*(C*D)

Example:

With the expression X=A + B * (C*D), given parameter:

A=10

B=3,

C=6

D=5

The expression will be evaluated as follows:

Step 1

(C*D) = (6*5)

(C*D) = 30

Step 2

B* (C*D) = 3* (30)

B* (C*D) = 90

Step 3

A+B* (C*D) =10+90

A+B* (C*D) = 100

Step 4

X =A+B*(C*D) =100

X= 100

Simple BASIC programs

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The following are some simple BASIC programs:

Program to compute 20 * 10

10. REM “PROGRAM TO PRINT NAME OF

20. REM 20*10”

30. CLS

40. LET A =20

50. LET B =10

60. LET C =A*B

70. PRINT C

80. END

Program to print and address of a school

10. REM “PROGRAM TO PRINT NAME OF

20. REM SCHOOL AND ADDRESS”

20. LET A$=” HiiT @ SCHOOL”

30. LET B$=” 27 Adeleke Street ikeja, Lagos “

40. PRINT A$

50. PRINT B$

60. END

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