THE CRADLE HIGH SCHOOL, BENIN

YEAR 8 ICT CHRISMAS TERM NOTES

SCHEME OF WORK
S/N WEEK TOPICS
1 1 Computer Software
2 2 Word Processing
3 3-4 Operating Systems
4 5 Units of Storage in Computer
5 6 Desktop Publishing
6 7-8 Computer Problem solving Skills
7 9 Storage Devices
8 10 Computer Control/ Health and Safety
 WEEK 1

COMPUTER SOFTWARE

Software is the General term used for the programs that control the computer system and
processes Data.
Software can be defined as instruction and association data that directs the computer to
accomplish a task, sometimes the term refers to a single program but often the term refers to
collections of program and data that are packed together. Software are the applications and
programming instructions that tell your computer what to do and enable you to use it for things
such as playing games, writing an essay or listening to music.

The software you use determines what type of computer you can use and what you can do with
the computer.

There are two main types of software which you will learn about in detail later on. They are
‘systems software’ which basically controls the way the computer works and tells it what to do.

TYPES OF SOFTWARE

1. SYSTEM SOFTWARE: Is designed to directly operate the computer hardware, to provide

basic functionality needed by users and other software, and to provide a platform for
running application software. System software includes:

 Operating systems, which are essential collections of software that manage resources
and provides common services for other software that runs “on top” of them.
Supervisory programs, boot loaders, shells and window systems are core parts of
operating systems. In practice, an operating system comes bundled with additional
software (including application software) so that a user can potentially do some work
with a computer that only has an operating system.
 Device drivers, which operate or control a particular type of device that is attached to a
computer. Each device needs at least one corresponding device driver; because a
computer typically has at minimum at least one input device and at least one output
device, a computer typically needs more than one device driver.
 Utilities, which are computer programs designed to assist users in maintenance and
care of their computers

The system software manages the fundamental operation of a computer such as

(i) loading programs and data into memory

(ii) Executing program

(iii) Saving data to disk
(iv) Displaying information on the monitor
(v) Transmitting of data through a point to peripheral device.

2. APPLICATION SOFTWARE: Application software is a program that is designed to

accomplish a specific task.

Some examples include:

 Word processors such as Word

 Spreadsheets such as Excel
 Databases such as Access
 Games applications such as Half Life, Call of Duty etc

The application software can be subdivided into two class namely

 General and customized software: General and customized software can be found in
most computer accessories designers outlets/shop hence the reason they are
sometimes refers to as off shop packages software. In the business world today, some
 examples of tasks accomplished with application software and document production are
spreadsheet and database management. In addition, business may sometimes like
graphics and also presentation software, including multimedia application
 Personally customized software: Personally customized software, is a software that is
being used personally by an end user programmer for a specific task and it not be seen
in a public outlets.

TYPES OF APPLICATION SOFTWARE

Microsoft word: Microsoft word is majorly used for document formatting and arrangement

 Microsoft excel: Microsoft excel is majorly used for calculation and arrangement for pay
record.
 Microsoft access: Microsoft access is majorly used for database arrangement and
accessibilities
 Microsoft power point: Microsoft power point is majorly for slide presentation during
conferences and seminars
 Corel draw: Corel draw is a graphic suit application that enables a computer user to
create graphic and pictures.
 Multimedia software: Multimedia software allows the user to create and play audio
and media e.g Window media.

3. MALICIOUS SOFTWARE OR MALWARE: Are computer programs developed to harm and

disrupt computers. As such, malware is undesirable. Malware is closely associated with
computer-related crimes, though some malicious programs may have been designed as
practical jokes.

ASSESSMENT

1. Define Software?
2. List TWO types of software
3. List FOUR applications of software
 WEEK 2

WORD PROCESSING

Word Processing: Word processing means using the computer to create, edit, and print
document.
Word processor: A word processor is an electronic device or computer software application,
which performs the task of composition, editing, formatting, and printing of documents.
Text Document: Text document is something written, printed, or online document that
presents data in the form of an articles, letter, memorandum, report, etc.

EXAMPLES OF WORD PROCESSORS

There are many word processing software packages available today, such as
WordStar
MS-word
Corel WordPerfect
WordPad
Notepad
WPS writer, etc
 APPLICATION AREAS OF WORD PROCESSING SOFTWARE
i. Offices
ii. Publishing
iii. Journalism
iv. Education
v. Articles

STEPS INVOLVED IN LOADING MICROSOFT WORD

There are two ways of loading Microsoft word:
a. If the icon of the package is on desktop, double click on it for it to open
b. If the icon is not on the desktop, follow the step below:
i. Click the Start Button
ii. Click on all program
iii. Select and click Microsoft office
iv. Select and click Microsoft Word

MS-WORD PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT

The word window is made up of many components that are displayed onscreen at the start of
the program such as:
a. Title bar: The title bar is the top part of the window displaying MS Word. It displays the name
of the active document.
b. Menu bar: The menu bar contains commands for word operation. E.g Home, Insert, view,
insert, page layout, etc
c. Status bar: bottom of the window it displays the status of the document
d. Toolbar: Toolbar serves as short cuts for common commands such as save, print, new, open,
undo, etc.

e. Work space: it is the area where actual word processing is done.

f. Formatting toolbar: This toolbar contains shortcut to the commands used for formatting text.
You can change your word or line paragraph to bold, italic or underline

Facilities Available in a Word Processor

a. Type document: The Keyboard is used to type a document. You type a document by pressing
the relevant keys on the keyboard in order to arrive at the desired word.
b. Edit document: This is the ability to change text by adding, deleting and rearranging letters,
words, sentences and paragraph.
c. Store document: Word processor gives the opportunity of accessing a previously saved file or
document either on the computer or on external storage facility.
d. Move, copy and paste: A word, line or text, paragraph, page or diagram can be moved from
one document to another. It could be also be within a document that for one line to the other.
It can also be from one application packages to the other, e.g., from CorelDraw to Microsoft
Word.

FEATURES OF A WORD PROCESSOR

Word processor varies considerably, but all word processors support the following basic
features:
Insert text: Allows you to insert text anywhere in the document
Delete text: Allows you to erase characters, words, lines, or passages.

Cut and paste: Allows you to remove a section of text from one place in a document and insert
it somewhere else
Copy: Allows you to duplicate a section of text
Page size and Margins: allows you to define various page size and margins.
Search and replace: Allows you to search for a particular word or phrase and also replace one
group of characters with another everywhere that first group appears.
Word wrap: The word processor automatically moves to the next line when you have filled one
line with text.
Headers, footers, and page numbering: Allows you to specify customized headers and footers
the word process will display at the top and bottom of every page
Font Specification: Allows you to change font attributes within a document.
Spell Checker: A utility that allows you to check the spelling of words. It will highlight any word
that it does not recognize
Thesaurus: Allows you to search for synonyms without leaving the word processor
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get): With WYSIWYG, a document appears the display
screen exactly as it will look when printed. ETC
ASSESSMENT:
BRIEFLY:
[Link] Word Processing;
2. State examples of Word Processors
3. List Application areas of Word Processing Software.
4. Explain the steps involved in loading Microsoft Word

WEEK 3-4
OPERATING SYSTEM
An operating system (sometimes abbreviated as “OS”) is the program that, after being initially
loaded into the computer by a boot program, manages all the other programs in a computer.
The other programs are called applications or application programs. The application programs
make use of the operating system by making requests for services through a defined
application program interface (API). In addition, users can interact directly with the operating
system through a user interface such as a command language or a graphical user interface
(GUI).

Operating system controls the basic input and output, allocates system resources, manage
storage space, maintain security and delete equipment failure. The operating system controls
the flow of data.

Examples of popular modern operating systems include Android, BlackBerry 10, BSD, Chrome
OS, iOS, Linux, OS X, QNX, Microsoft Windows, Windows Phone, and z/OS

An operating system performs these services for applications:

 In a multitasking operating system where multiple programs can be running at the same
time, the operating system determines which applications should run in what order and
how much time should be allowed for each application before giving another
application a turn.
 It manages the sharing of internal memory among multiple applications.
 It handles input and output to and from attached hardware devices, such as hard disks,
printers, and dial-up ports.
 It sends messages to each application or interactive user (or to a system operator) about
the status of operation and any errors that may have occurred.
 It can offload the management of what are called batch jobs (for example, printing) so
that the initiating application is freed from this work.
 On computers that can provide parallel processing, an operating system can manage
how to divide the program so that it runs on more than one processor at a time.
 

FUNCTIONS OF AN OPERATING SYSTEM

The Operating System has three main functions

A. Manage the computer’s resources, such as the central processing unit, memory, disk drives,
and printers

B. Establish a user interface

C. Execute and provide services for applications software

Other functions are:

 1. Boot process: When the computer is switched on the boot program that is resided in
Rom initialize the setup of the computer, the then load the rest of the operating system
from the banking storage (hard ware) in the RAM.
2. Operating system does the work of sharing and accounting of the computer resources
3. Operating system handles the input and output of data and information.
4. Operating system handles the management of memory.
5. Operating system handles the management of the hardware.
6. Operating system handles multitasking and multi programming.
7. Operating system handles protection and error trending.
8. Operating system acts as an interface between the user and the computer
9. Operating system controls interaction and program control

Assessment:

1. Define Operating Systems

2. Give examples of Operating Systems
3. Highlight The functions of Operating Systems
 WEEK 5

UNITS OF STORAGE IN COMPUTER

Introduction

The most common unit of storage in computer is called a byte which is equal to 8
bits. A computer memory is made up of millions of bytes. All data and information fed
into a computer, as well as the program that comes pre-loaded are stored in form of
bytes.

Each byte resides temporary on the computer memory and this specific location is
called an address.

Different computer have different size of memory. The size of a computer memory is
stated by manufacturer in terms of byte.

 1,024 byte make a kilobyte (KB)

 1 megabyte (MB) is equal to 1,024 kilobytes, or approximately one million bytes
 1 gigabytes (GB) is equal to 1, 024 megabytes

In order to make calculations and definition of memory size easier, 1.024 bytes are
often rounded off to 1000 bytes. Thus, user will often state that 1 KB is equal to 1000
bytes.

BINARY DIGIT (BITS)

The smallest unit in computer processing is called a bit. It is a unit of data that can
be either of two conditions 0-1. Group of bits makes up storage units in the computer
called character, bytes, or word, which are manipulated as group. A bit is the basic
unit of information in computing and data transmission; a bit can have only the value
of either one or zero, which may be implemented in a variety of systems by means of
a two-state device. An example of such a device in electronics can be a flip-flop, a
logic gate or a relay (in relay logic). The two values can also be interpreted as logical
values (true/false, yes/no), activation states (on/off), or any other two-valued
attribute.

NIBBLE

Haft a byte is called a nibble. A nibble is a collection of bits on a 4 bit

boundary. A nibble (also called nybble or nyble) is a four-bit aggregation, i.e. half of
an octet. There are sixteen (2⁴=16) possible values of a nibble, therefore it
corresponds to a single hexadecimal digit.
WORD LENGTH

A computer word is a group of a fixed number of bytes which varies from computer to
computer but is fixed for each computer. The length of a computer word is called
word length, which is in the range of 1 byte to 64 bytes. It implies the number of its
which can be handled like a single operation. A word is the natural unit of data used
by a particular processor design. A word can be considered as a fixed-size group of
bits that are handled as a unit by the instruction set and the processor hardware. The
number of bits in a word (also called word width, word size, or word length) is an
important characteristic of specific processor design or computer architecture, which
is often described as n-bit architecture where n is usually equal to 8, 16, 32 or 64.

BLOCK

In data transmission and data storage, a block is a sequence of bytes or bits, having a
nominal length (a block size). Putting data into blocks (blocking) blocking is used to
speed up the handling of the data-stream by the communication equipment. Blocked
data is normally read a whole block at a time.

CHARACTER

A character is a unit of information that roughly corresponds to a smallest unit in a

written language, that is, a symbol, such as in an alphabet letter, or a digit, or a
punctuation mark. A character can be represented with one (ASCII) or several
(Unicode) bytes.

Note: PT means petabytes.

REPRESENTING CHARACTERS IN THE MEMORY

BYTE: A byte is the basic unit in the computer memory. One bytes is one character. A
character can be a number, letter, or symbol. One byte consist of eight bits (binary
digits). A byte is the basic unit in the computer memory. One bytes is one character.
A character can be a number, letter, or symbol. One byte consist of eight bits (binary
digits). A byte is a unit of digital information in computing and data transmission that
most commonly consists of eight bits. The de facto standard of eight bits is a
convenient power of two (2⁸) permitting the values 0 through 255 for one byte.

KILOBYTE (KB): One kilobytes is 1,024 bytes. This approximately equal to a character
in one page of a text of a book. A kilobyte (kB) is a decimal multiple of the unit byte
for digital information or computer storage. The prefix kilo (symbol k) is defined in
the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 10³, therefore, 1 kilobyte =
10³ bytes = 1000 bytes. At the same time, traditionally this metric prefix is used to
designate binary multiplier 2¹⁰ = 1024, so 1 Kbyte = 1024 bytes (note the capital K).

MEGABYTE (MB): One megabyte is 1,048,576 characters. This is approximately equal

to all the character in one book. A megabyte (MB or Mbyte) is a decimal multiple of
the unit byte for digital information or computer storage. The prefix mega (symbol M)
is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 10⁶, therefore, 1
megabyte = 10⁶ bytes = 1,000,000 bytes. At the same time, traditionally this metric
prefix is used to designate binary multiplier 2²⁰, so 1 MB = 1024 Kbytes (note the
capital K)

GIGABYTE: One gigabyte is 1,073,741,824 characters. This is approximately equal to

all the character in a pile of books. A gigabyte (GB or Gbyte) is a decimal multiple of
the unit byte for digital information or computer storage. The prefix giga (symbol G)
is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 10⁹, therefore, 1
gigabyte = 10⁹ bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes. At the same time, traditionally this
metric prefix is used to designate binary multiplier 2³⁰, so 1 GB = 1024 Mbytes.

TERABYTE: One terabyte is 1,099,511,627,776 characters. This is approximately equal

to all the character in all the books on a book stand. A terabyte (TB or Tbyte) is a
decimal multiple of the unit byte for digital information or computer storage. The
prefix tera (symbol T) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a
multiplier of 10¹², therefore, 1 terabyte = 10¹² bytes. At the same time, traditionally
this metric prefix is used to designate binary multiplier 2⁴⁰, so 1 Tbyte = 1024 Gbytes.
Assessment:

1. State the various units of storage and their values

2. Convert from one unit to another (Show examples)
3. Differentiate between kilobyte, Megabyte and Gigabyte

WEEK 6

Introduction:

Publishing is the process of producing publications such as newspapers, cards, pamphlets,

pictures, calendars, books, etc that has special text and graphical layouts & designs.
Traditionally, publishing involved drawing and writing manually on wooden or metallic boards.
The artwork would then be painted with ink and pressed on papers to produce a printout.
Today, the art of publishing makes use of Personal computers & small printers that are able to
print high-quality text and graphics. All the publishing processes can be done on a desk in the
office or at home.

Definition of Desktop Publishing: Desktop publishing refers to the process of producing

publications by designing their text and graphics layout using special desktop publishing
software installed on personal computers. The text and graphical objects can then be inserted,
edited, formatted and printed. Desktop Publishing (DTP) is the use of the computer and
software to create visual display of ideas and information. Desktop publishing is the process of
using the computer and specific types of software to combine text and graphics to produce
documents such as newsletters, brochures, books, Web pages and many other printed
documents.

What Are the Main Benefits of Desktop Publishing?

If you desire to keep up with modern trends and customers’ expectations, you would hardly
survive with just word processing tools at your disposal. And, every time you need to prepare a
flyer or a web advertisement for your marketing campaign, it is inefficient in terms of both
budget and time consumption to reach out to third-party solutions. Instead of putting experts
from the correlated field into your shoes, it would be better to explore the opportunities of
page layout programs and become more flexible.

The best thing about desktop publishing (DTP) software deals is the functionality. Editing two
pages side-by-side, creating repeated content with a single button click, importing any of the
hundreds of clipart images and using the integration with specialized software for more eye-
catching lettering and typography—these features allow your brand to complement their
experience of designing numerous layouts.

One of the rocking benefits is to apply one of over 500 templates and fine-tune them in
accordance with your target audience’s needs. Designing business cards, brochures, menus,
envelopes or labels—these features are just a small number of the capabilities offered by the
considered software for the Mac.
Taking into account that advanced programs for DTP offer access to different top-notch
graphics, why not use this feature as a source of inspiration and knowledge base? The same
applies to templates. This is how beginners can become masters without complicated learning
curves—just with the help of files and materials found within the tool. At the same time, if
nothing disturbs you from the creative process (e.g., technical issues or a stubborn menu with a
long route to the option you need), the results will turn out to be more appealing and
motivating.

EXAMPLES OF DESKTOP PUPLISHIN SOFTWARES

FEATURES OF DESKTOP PUBLISHING APPS

Below is a list and description of the most basic and essential features that any desktop
publishing software should have. Some of them may prove more crucial than others depending
on the type of print project you are working with. Though these features are important, the list
surely does not end here.
Support for Numerous Project Types

The ability to create a variety of projects defines the flexibility of a desktop publishing
application. The key to delivering this is by supporting an abundance of paper layouts and the
ability to create custom page layouts without too many restrictions.

Layout Tools

The term “layout tools” involves a range of tools that help to place and align objects accurately.
Such tools include but are not limited to rulers, adjustable and automatic guides, multiple editing
layers, object snapping, and object grouping.

The guides and snapping options offer a point of reference when placing images and text in the
document. Multiple editing layers keep the workspace more or less uncluttered which helps to
prevent selecting and moving the unintended object. Object grouping helps in a similar way by
making sure that multiple objects remain positioned proportionate to one another.

The integration of so-called “master pages” in a desktop publishing application saves you from
having to create the same background multiple times for a multi-page document. This option
creates a type of template that can be applied to every page of a document.

Text Tools

Desktop publishing software should offer a wide range of text editing tools extending beyond
standard operations on text. Linked text boxes are an absolute must in desktop publishing. Such
text boxes allow text to flow freely within a network of text boxes. This makes editing text
content much easier since the text boxes automatically adjust the contained text.

Adjusting the text properties of headers and other portions of text can be quite tedious.
Applications with style sheets make that process much quicker. One can think of style sheets as
customizable text templates that can be applied to any portion of text by selecting it and choosing
the corresponding style sheet.

Other important text tools include circle text and artistic text effects.

Graphic Tools

The ability to edit images is also an absolute must for desktop publishing software. Ideally, an
application should allow you to do more than just manipulate images (resize, angle, crop, or
compress). It should give you a set of built-in image effects and filters as well as other functions
related to design. Such functions may include adding shadows, controlling the transparency, and
so forth. Highly professional applications may offer advanced drawing tools.
Printing and Sharing

Supporting a ton of paper layouts and printers is not enough to make a desktop publishing
application great. If you are running an older printer, you will definitely need the ability print
your project as a raster image since many old printers can not handle vector data. A person
looking to send his document to the printshop will find that a variety of export options and the
means to convert text to curves will turn out to be useful. Those who plan on printing any kind of
booklet should look for an imposition functionality.

Assignment:

1. Explain the following terms:

i. Graphic tools

ii. Printing and sharing

iii. From the schematic below, write a concise note not more than 3 line.
WEEK 7-8
COMPUTER PROGRAM AND PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE

CONCEPT OF COMPUTER PROGRAM AND PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE

If you want a computer to solve a given problem, you need a computer program. A computer
program is a sequence of related instruction (command) that tell the computer how to
accomplish a specific task. A program can also be defined as a set of instruction that is executed
by the CPU.
Programming
Programming is the act of writing computer program. A computer program are written by
trained and qualify people called programmer.
Computer Programming Language
A computer programming language is the language used to write instructions (commands) for
the computer. Programming language is a means through which programmer communicate
with the computer in solving different categories of problems. It consists of a set of rules
governing how the words in the language should be written (syntax) and the meaning
associated with each word (semantic).
TYPES OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE

Computer language fall into three broad categories

1. Machine Language
2. Low Level Language (Assembly language)
3. High Level Language (HLL}
Machine Language
This was the first generation programming language. A computer will only understand one
language, which is the machine language. There are two symbols in machine language; these
are 1 and 0 generally called binary digits or bits. Machine language has many disadvantages
since it requires the programmer to remember the numeric code of each instruction and
location of each data in binary form. Also machine language is machine dependent, different
machines have different language format.
Assembly Language
Assembly language is closest to machine language and as a result, is called a low level language.
Assembly is made of abbreviated commands we can assemble into machine code. Acronyms
with words such add (addition), sub (subtraction) and load (loading) are commonly used.
The major problems associated with assembly language are:
1. It is machine dependent
2. The programmer has to know the numeric code for each machine.
High Level Language
These are programming languages that allow for program to be written in forms that are
readable to human beings. High level languages are developed to overcome the limitations of
machine and assembly languages. In high level structure, a program is written in forms that
resemble the statement of the given problem in English. High level language can run on
different machine provided appropriate translators are installed.
Examples of popular high level language are:
BASIC: Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
COBOL: COmmon Business Oriented Language
FORTRAN: FORmula TRANslation
ADA: Named after Ada Augusta
APL: A programming Language
RPG: Report Program Generator
PL1: Programming Language 1
dBASE: Data Base
LISP: List Processor
PASCAL
JAVA
C++
Programming tools and Technique
There are many tools and techniques that aid writing good computer programs, two of which
are algorithm and flowchart.
Algorithm
This is an outline steps needed to solve a problem. Thus an algorithm should be clear, effective,
and unambiguous. In addition, an algorithm should have input should produce output.
Example 1
Compute the area and circumference of a cycle given the diameter d. Use the formular and
Solution
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Get the diameter d
Step 3: Compute
Step 4: Compute
Step 5: Compute
Step 6: Displays the result
Step 7: Stop
FLOWCHART
This is the graphical representation of steps involved in solving a given problem
Some standard symbols used in drawing a program flow chart are:
:

Example 1:
Produce a flowchart to compute the area and circumference of a cycle given the diameter d. Use
the formular A= πr^2 and C= 2πr

Solution
Origin of and Features of BASIC

BASIC stands for Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. It was developed in 1960 by
John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz to teach students at Dartmouth College. It has undergone a
series of historical development, which has resulted in several forms of the language.
BASIC is now in form of [Link] (Visual [Link]). The majority of BASIC languages use program
translators called interpreters to allow the computer to understand and obey the BASIC
statements in the computer program. Examples of such interpreters are:
BASICA
GwBASIC
Turbo BASIC
Quick BASIC

BASIC Character Set

The characters used in BASIC language include:

i. Alphabetic Characters: BASIC alphabetic characters consist of letters (A to Z)
ii. Numeric Characters: Numbers from 0 to 9 are used in BASIC language
iii. Special Characters: Special characters are characters that are not letters or numbers. They
include punctuation marks, accent marks, ASCII control characters, formatting characters.
Examples + % ^ # = ( ) etc

BASIC variable

A variable is a quantity that changes during the execution of a program. It can also be defined
as a name that is used to represent some storage location.

Types of Variables

1. Numeric Variables: These are used to store numeric values such as 23, 98, 1.44 etc. Examples
of numeric variables are; N, Y, P, SUM, AVERAGE, etc

2. String Variables: These are used to store alphabetic and alpha-numeric values. A string
variable name is always written with a dollar sign ($) as the last character. E.g. Name$, AVG$,
X$, etc

Rules for coding variable

i. In BASIC combining alphabets, numbers and the decimal point (a maximum length of 40
characters) may form a variable.
ii. No reserve word can be used as a variable name.
iii. Special characters cannot be used for naming a variable. iv. A string variable corresponds to
string data whereas a numeric variable corresponds to numeric data,
v. In a program, each variable is referred to throughout the program by its name.

Constants
A constant is data that remains the same as the program runs (executes). Constants are values
stored or assigned to variables.
Types of Constants in BASIC
BASIC allows two constants which are;
Numeric constant: Numeric constant in BASIC is any signed or unsigned number.
Alpha-Numeric or string constant: It consists of the combination of letters, digits, and other
symbols that are treated in a manner completely analogous to a numeric constant. They are
enclosed within inverted commas.

Rules for numeric constants

i. A number can have a maximum of 8 digits
ii. No comma is allowed
iii. A decimal point can appear anywhere
iv. If the value is quite larger it is expressed in exponent form
v. No blank space, special characters or any other letter is allowed in the number.
BASIC Expressions and Operators

In programming, an expression can be defined as the combination of operands and operators.

Operands are the data items involved in an expression. Operators determine the action to be
carried out on the operand in the expression. For instance in the statement: LET C = A + B, A
and B are the operands while “+” is the operator.
There are three major types of expression in BASIC. They are:
Arithmetic expression
Relational Expression
Logical expression

Arithmetic Expression
BASIC arithmetic expression is used to represent mathematical formulae in BASIC
programming. Below is a list of BASIC arithmetic operators:
Arithmetic Operators

Symbol Name Function

^ Upper caret Exponentiation
/ Slash Division
* Asterisk Multiplication
+ Plus Addition
- Minus Substraction

Arithmetic Expression
Every arithmetic expression must appear on a single line. There is no superscript in BASIC as we
find in algebra.

Relational Expression
Relational Expression is used for the comparison of two or more data items. BASIC relational
operators are listed below:
Symbol Name
< Less than
> Greater than
= Equal to
<> Not Equal to
<= Less than or equal to
>= Greater than or equal to

Logical Expression
Logical expression involve is an expression involving two or more relational repression joined by
a logical expression. BASIC logical operators are:
AND
NOT
OR

Evaluation or Arithmetic Expression

To evaluate an arithmetic expression, the following order is followed:

Priority Operator
1st Parenthesis i.e ( and )
2nd Exponentiation
2nd Exponentiation
3rd Multiplication and Division
4th MOD and INTER Division
5th Addition and Subtraction

Example: evaluate 4*A*B^2+ (A^2*B+C)/(A+B) if A=2; B=4 and c=2

Solution
Step 1 Substituting we have ---- 4*2*4^2+ (2^2*4+2)/ (2+4)
Step 2 evaluate terms in the parenthesis ---- 4*2*4^2+18/6
Step 3 evaluate 4^2 --------- 4*2*16+18/6
Step 4 evaluate 4*2*18 ------- 128+18/6
Step 5 evaluate 18/6 ------ 128 + 3
Step 6 evaluate 128+3 ----- 131

BASIC Statements

LET Statement
The let statement is used to assign a numeric or string value to a variable.
Syntax
LET [variable] = [constant] for numeric value
LET *variable+$ = *“value”+ for string value
Example
LET X = 12
LET B$ = “Clementina”
LET AREA = L*B

INPUT Statement
The INPUT statement is used to enter data into the computer with a user prompt or a group of
variables during program execution.
Syntax for numeric value
INPUT “*prompt+”; *variable+
Syntax for string value
INPUT “*prompt+”; *variable$+
Example
INPUT “type in the number”; A
INPUT “Type in your name”; N$

READ-DATA statement
READ and Data are two statements concerned with each other which are used to put data in a
line of the program and to read the data when it is needed.
Example
READ A, B, C
DATA 5, 6, 7
LET SUM = A+B+C
PRINT SUM
END

REM (Remark) Statement

The REM statement is used to insert comments or remarks into a BASIC program. The use of
remark statements improves the readability of the program. REM is a non-executable
statement.
Syntax
REM [remark]
Example
REM program to add six numbers

PRINT statement
This statement is used to transmit data from the computer memory to the output device.
Examples
PRINT A
PRINT “I Like Writing Program”

Program Terminators (END and STOP Statements)

The STOP statement is used to terminate the execution of a program at any point in the
program. The END statement indicates the actual end of a program. The STOP statement may
appear many times and anywhere, whereas an END statement can only appear at the end of a
program and only once.
Example
REM END statement
PRINT “Good morning”
END

FOR – NEXT
Looping is used to have the computer do repetitive tasks in a fraction of the time that would
otherwise be required. The most common type of loop used in QBASIC programming is the
FOR...NEXT and WHILE WEND loop that repeats a series of instructions a specified number of
times.
Syntax
FOR variable=x TO y [STEP z]
.
.
.
NEXT [variable][,variable...]
x,y, and z are numeric expressions.
STEP z specifies the counter increment for each loop.
Example 1: Write a program using FOR-NEXT state to print any statement five times Solution

FOR I = 1 TO 5
PRINT “the dullest pencil is better than the sharpest memory”
NEXT I
END

Simple Basic Programs

Example 1: Program to find the sum and difference between two number
10 REM this program accepts two numbers and finds their sum and difference
20 INPUT “Type the first number and press ENTER”; NUM1
30 INPUT “Type the second number and press ENTER”; NUM2
40 LET SUM = NUM1 + NUM2
50 LET DIFF = NUM1 – NUM2
60 PRINT “first number is “; NUM1
70 PRINT “second number is “; NUM2
80 PRINT “================”
90 PRINT NUM1; “+”; NUM1 “=” ; SUM
100 PRINT NUM1; “-“ ; NUM2 “=” DIFF
110 END

Assessment:

1. Identify a Computer program;

2. Define a Computer Programming Language
3. Give Examples of Computer Programming
Languages
4. List key statements of BASIC
5. Describe key BASIC statement
6. Write a simple BASIC program
 WEEK 9

STORAGE UNIT AND STORAGE DEVICES

STORAGE UNIT AND STORAGE DEVICES

The storage unit is a part of the computer system which is employed to store the information
and instructions to be processed. A storage device is an integral part of the computer hardware
which stores information/data to process the result of any computational work. Without a
storage device, a computer would not be able to run or even boot up. Or in other words, we
can say that a storage device is hardware that is used for storing, porting, or extracting data
files. It can also store information/data both temporarily and permanently.

Types of Computer Memory

1. Primary Memory
2. Secondary Memory
3. Tertiary Memory

1. Primary Memory: It is also known as internal memory and main memory. This is a section of
the CPU that holds program instructions, input data, and intermediate results. It is generally
smaller in size. RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory) are examples of
primary storage.
2. Secondary Memory: Secondary storage is a memory that is stored external to the
computer. It is mainly used for the permanent and long-term storage of programs and data.
Hard Disks, CDs, DVDs, Pen/Flash drives, SSD, etc, are examples of secondary storage.

3. Tertiary Memory: Tertiary Memory is a type of Memory that is rarely used in personal
computers and due to this, tertiary memory is not considered to be an important one. Tertiary
memory works automatically without human intervention.

Types of Computer Storage Devices

Now we will discuss different types of storage devices available in the market. These storage
devices have their own specification and use. Some of the commonly used storage devices are:

1. Primary Storage Devices

2. Magnetic Storage Devices
3. Flash memory Devices
4. Optical Storage Devices
5. Cloud and Virtual Storage

1. Primary Storage Devices

 RAM: It stands for Random Access Memory. It is used to store information that is used
immediately or we can say that it is a temporary memory. Computers bring the software
installed on a hard disk to RAM to process it and to be used by the user. Once, the
computer is turned off, the data is deleted. With the help of RAM, computers can
perform multiple tasks like loading applications, browsing the web, editing a
spreadsheet, experiencing the newest game, etc. It allows you to modify quickly among
these tasks, remembering where you’re in one task once you switch to a different task.
It is also used to load and run applications, like your spreadsheet program, answers
commands, like all edits you made within the spreadsheet, or toggle between multiple
programs, like once you left the spreadsheet to see the email. Memory is nearly always
actively employed by your computer. It ranges from 1GB – 32GB/64GB depending upon
the specifications. There are different types of RAM, and although they all serve the
same purpose, the most common ones are :
o SRAM: It stands for Static Random Access Memory. It consists of circuits that retain
stored information as long as the power supply is on. It is also known as volatile
memory. It is used to build Cache memory. The access time of SRAM is lower and it is
much faster as compared to DRAM but in terms of cost, it is costly as compared to
DRAM.
o DRAM: It stands for Dynamic Random Access Memory. It is used to store binary bits in
the form of electrical charges that are applied to capacitors. The access time of DRAM is
slower as compared to SRAM but it is cheaper than SRAM and has a high packaging
density.
 o SDRAM: It stands for Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. It is faster than
DRAM. It is widely used in computers and others. After SDRAM was introduced, the
upgraded version of double data rate RAM, i.e., DDR1, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4 was
entered into the market and widely used in home/office desktops and laptops.
 ROM: It stands for Read-Only Memory. The data written or stored in these devices are
non-volatile, i.e, once the data is stored in the memory cannot be modified or deleted.
The memory from which will only read but cannot write it. This type of memory is non-
volatile. The information is stored permanently during manufacture only once. ROM
stores instructions that are used to start a computer. This operation is referred to as
bootstrap. It is also used in other electronic items like washers and microwaves. ROM
chips can only store a few megabytes (MB) of data, which ranges between 4 and 8 MB
per ROM chip. There are two types of ROM:
o PROM: PROM is Programmable Read-Only Memory. These are ROMs that can be
programmed. A special PROM programmer is employed to enter the program on the
PROM. Once the chip has been programmed, information on the PROM can’t be altered.
PROM is non-volatile, that is data is not lost when power is switched off.
o EPROM: Another sort of memory is the Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory. It is
possible to erase the info which has been previously stored on an EPROM and write new
data onto the chip.
o EEPROM: EEPROM is Electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. Here, data
can be erased without using ultraviolet light, with the use of just applying the electric
field.

PRIMARY STORAGE DEVICES

2. Magnetic Storage Devices

 Floppy Disk: Floppy Disk is also known as a floppy diskette. It is generally used on a
personal computer to store data externally. A Floppy disk is made up of a plastic
cartridge and secured with a protective case. Nowadays floppy disk is replaced by new
and effective storage devices like USB, etc.
  Hard Disk: Hard Disk is a storage device (HDD) that stores and retrieves data using
magnetic storage. It is a non-volatile storage device that can be modified or deleted n
number of times without any problem. Most computers and laptops have HDDs as their
secondary storage device. It is actually a set of stacked disks, just like phonograph
records. In every hard disk, the data is recorded electromagnetically in concentric circles
or we can say track present on the hard disk, and with the help of a head just like a
phonograph arm(but fixed in a position) to read the information present on the track.
The read-write speed of HDDs is not so fast but decent. It ranges from a few GBs to a
few and more TB.
 Magnetic Card: It is a card in which data is stored by modifying or rearranging the
magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic particles present on the band of the card. It is
also known as a swipe card. It is used like a passcode (to enter the house or hotel room),
credit card, identity card, etc.
 Tape Cassette: It is also known as a music cassette. It is a rectangular flat container in
which the data is stored in an analog magnetic tape. It is generally used to store audio
recordings.
 SuperDisk: It is also called LS-240 and LS-120. It is introduced by Imation Corporation
and it is popular with OEM computers. It can store data up to 240 MB.

MAGNETIC STORAGE DEVICES

3. Flash Memory Devices

It is a cheaper and more portable storage device. It is the most commonly used device to store
data because is more reliable and efficient as compared to other storage devices. Some of the
commonly used flash memory devices are:

 Pen Drive: It is also known as a USB flash drive that includes flash memory with an
integrated USB interface. We can directly connect these devices to our computers and
 laptops and read/write data into them in a much faster and more efficient way. These
devices are very portable. It ranges from 1GB to 256GB generally.
 SSD: It stands for Solid State Drive, a mass storage device like HDD. It is more durable
because it does not contain optical disks inside like hard disks. It needs less power as
compared to hard disks, is lightweight, and has 10x faster read and writes speed as
compared to hard disks. But, these are costly as well. While SSDs serve an equivalent
function as hard drives, their internal components are much different. Unlike hard
drives, SSDs don’t have any moving parts and thus they’re called solid-state drives.
Instead of storing data on magnetic platters, SSDs store data using non-volatile storage.
Since SSDs haven’t any moving parts, they do not need to “spin up”. It ranges from
150GB to a few more TB.
 SD Card: It is known as a Secure Digital Card. It is generally used with electronic devices
like phones, digital cameras, etc. to store larger data. It is portable and the size of the SD
card is also small so that it can easily fit into electronic devices. It is available in different
sizes like 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, etc.
 Memory Card: It is generally used in digital cameras. printers, game consoles, etc. It is
also used to store large amounts of data and is available in different sizes. To run a
memory card on a computer you require a separate memory card reader.
 Multimedia Card: It is also known as MMC. It is an integrated circuit that is generally
used in-car radios, digital cameras, etc. It is an external device to store
data/information.

FLASH MEMORY DEVICES

4. Optical Storage Devices

Optical Storage Devices is also secondary storage device. It is a removable storage device.
Following are some optical storage devices:

 CD: It is known as Compact Disc. It contains tracks and sectors on its surface to store
data. It is made up of polycarbonate plastic and is circular in shape. CD can store data up
to 700MB. It is of two types:
 o CD-R: It stands for Compact Disc read-only. In this type of CD, once the data is
written can not be erased. It is read-only.
o CD-RW: It stands for Compact Disc Read Write. In this type of CD, you can easily
write or erase data multiple times.
 DVD: It is known as Digital Versatile Disc. DVDs are circular flat optical discs used to
store data. It comes in two different sizes one is 4.7GB single-layer discs and another
one is 8.5GB double-layer discs. DVDs look like CDs but the storage capacity of DVDs is
more than as compared to CDs. It is of two types:
o DVD-R: It stands for Digital Versatile Disc read-only. In this type of DVD, once the
data is written can not be erased. It is read-only. It is generally used to write
movies, etc.
o DVD-RW: It stands for Digital Versatile Disc Read Write. In this type of DVD, you
can easily write or erase data multiple times.
 Blu-ray Disc: It is just like CD and DVD but the storage capacity of blu ray is up to 25GB.
To run a Blu-ray disc you need a separate Blu-ray reader. This Blu-ray technology is used
to read a disc from a blue-violet laser due to which the information is stored in greater
density with a longer wavelength.

OPTICAL STORAGE DEVICES

5. Cloud and Virtual Storage

Nowadays, secondary memory has been upgraded to virtual or cloud storage devices. We can
store our files and other stuff in the cloud and the data is stored for as long as we pay for the
cloud storage. There are many companies that provide cloud services largely Google, Amazon,
Microsoft, etc. We can pay the rent for the amount of space we need and we get multiple
benefits out of it. Though it is actually being stored in a physical device located in the data
centers of the service provider, the user doesn’t interact with the physical device and its
maintenance. For example, Amazon Web Services offers AWS S3 as a type of storage where
users can store data virtually instead of being stored in physical hard drive devices. These sorts
of innovations represent the frontier of where storage media goes.

CLOUD AND VIRTUAL STORAGE

Characteristics of Computer Storage Devices

 Data stored in the Memory can be changed or replaced in case of a requirement,

because of the mobility of the storage devices.
 Storage Devices validate that saved data can be replaced or deleted as per the
requirements because the storage devices are easily readable, writeable, and
rewritable.
 Storage Devices are easy and convenient to access because they do not require much
skill set to handle these resources.
 The storage capacity of these devices is an extra advantage to the system.
 Storage Devices have better performance and data can be easily transferred from one
device to another.

Assessment:
1. Define computer storage device?
2. List examples of Optic storage devices?
3. Explain online cloud storage a device?
WEEK 1O

COMPUTER CONTROL

INTRODUCTION

You are surrounded by examples of computer control. In fact, without computer control, your
home, your school and even your life would be very different.

What is Computer Control?

Basically, what computer control means is using a computer to control the action or movement
of an object. We use the term ‘computer’ very loosely. It doesn’t necessarily mean the kind
that you are working on right now, it often means a processor or microchip.

Sensors: A sensor is something which can measure physical quantities in the surrounding
environment. An example might be a heat sensor which measures the temperature in a room
or a pressure sensor which senses when someone has walked over it. Once they have taken a
reading or measurement, they might send that reading straight back to the computer or they
may store it up and take a set of readings over time and send them back in a batch. This data is
called an ‘input’.

There are many different types of sensors, below is a table showing you a few of the most
common ones:

 heating system
  Infra-red Infra-red radiation e.g. body heat Security alarm systems
 Light levels External security lights
 Burglar alarm systems, automatic doors
 Computer controlled robot


ADC: ADC stands for Analog-to-Digital Converter. Most sensors take analogue
measurements. This means that the measurement can have a wide range of values or be on a
continuous scale. All computers need digital data. Digital data only has two values either 0 and
1 or On and Off. In order for the data collected by the sensor to be understood by the
computer, it needs to be converted from an analogue signal to a digital signal. To do this, a
special piece of hardware is needed called an analogue-to-digital converter or ADC. The ADC is
connected between the sensor and the computer’s input-output port and it is called an
‘interface.

PROCESS: Once the input data from the sensors has been received by the computer, it can then
begin to process it. The data will be compared against a set of rules which have been
programmed into the control system and a decision will be made.

OUTPUT: Once the processing has taken place and a decision has been made, the computer will send
the correct signal to the output device. For a central heating system, this might be to turn the heating
on or off. For a greenhouse watering system this might be to turn the sprinklers on or off. Sending the
message and the resulting action is known as the ‘output’ stage

ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTER CONTROL

Computers: Can operate 24 hours a day without taking a break. Can work without holidays or
sick days Will work without any wages. Will repeat actions over and over and over again Can
process data from sensors very quickly Can take account of hundreds of inputs at the same time
Can make reliable and accurate decisions Can be used in dangerous or awkward environments
where it wouldn't be a good idea to send humans to.

DISADVANTAGES OF COMPUTER CONTROL

The software for the control system is specialist and may cost a lot of money to develop If the
computer malfunctions the system will not work If there is a power cut the system will not work
The computer can’t react to unexpected events like a human could. It can only respond in the
way it has been programmed to. It can cause some concern if total control for a system and the
decisions are handed over to a computer.

COMPUTER HELTH AND SAFTY

Here, we are going to discuss the safety measures to take regarding health problems which
emerges from constant use of the computer.

They are:
 · Use of anti-glare protector
Eyes can become strained after staring at the computer screen for a long time particularly if
working in a flickering screen.

Solutions:

(A) Use “eye care” on your computer screen to reduce harmful Ray’s emitted from the
computer screen which can be harmful to our eyes.
(B) Use screen that do not flicker
Take regular breaks away from the computer

· Keep the computer below the eye level

Make sure the computer is not situated above your eye level to prevent strain. Ensure that
while using the computers that you look slightly down to it.

· Ensure proper Illumination of the computer room

In order to prevent accident or trip falls in the computer room, make sure that you light it up
properly, so that you may be able to see clearly and prevent the likely hood of accident
occurring.

· Good sitting posture

Always sit erect while using the computer to avoid backache. This can be achieved by sitting on
a chair and placing the computer on our desk. Some of us are guilty of lying down while using
the computer, bending down while using the computer and it eventually leads to backache

· Always have frequent breaks if your job involves strictly the use of computer
Electrical socket must not be overloaded to prevent electrical surge which may lead to fire
caused by electricity.

· Use wrist rest

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a damage to fingers, wrists and other parts of the body due to
repeat movements over a long period of time. So we are recommend to use wrist rest and have
five minutes break from typing every hour.

COMPUTER RELATED INJURIES

These are the health issues we are bound to face if we don’t take proper safety measures while
using the computer.

Back and neck pain

This is a common computer related injury and the pains can be worst due to poor working
condition like: bad desk design, bad posture, sitting for a long period of time.
Sitting for a long period of time can reduce circulation of blood to your muscles, bones,
tendons and ligaments. However, sometimes it leads to stiffness and pains

· Wrist pain
Muscles and tendons can become painful with repetitive movements and awkward postures.
This pain normally occur at the elbow, wrist or hands of the computer user

· Eye strain
Focusing your eyes at the same distance for a long period of time causes eye fatigue. The light
rays coming out of the computer screen damages our eye sight leading to having blurred vision
and temporary inability to focus on Faraway objects.

· Obesity
Sitting down one place with proper exercising of our bodies may lead to obesity, because
computer users can spend hour in a chair without actually moving around to exercise their
bodies.

Parents can help reduce the risk of health-related issues over their children by encouraging
them to:

 Sit at least one meter away from the screen

 Take frequent breaks to stretch their bodies
 Encourage their children to enjoy different hobbies and interests particularly sports
and physical activities
 Set time limits for your children over the use of computer

Assessment:
. State the meaning of control
2. Highlight the Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer control
3. List the Hazards associated with the use of computer s and the Safety measures observed