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COS 101

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCES

DISTANCE LEARNING CENTRE

[HUI-DLC]

[Link]
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COS 101:
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCES 3unit (c)

HUI-DLC
DISTANCE LEARNING CENTRE
AL-HIKMAH UNIVERSITY, ILORIN

© All Right Reserved (2025)

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Published by the Distance Learning Centre,

Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria

Email: hui-dlc@[Link]

Website: [Link]

This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike-4.0

(CC-BY-SA 4.0) license (htpp://[Link]/license/by-sa/4.0/)

By using the content of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of
use of the DLC Al-Hikmah University Open Educational Resources Repository
(OER)
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Courseware Development Team

Subject Matter Expert ABDURAUF Tosho, PhD

Department of Computer Science
Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria

Instructional Designers ODEYINKA Joseph Olayinka

Department of Educational
Technology, Al-Hikmah University,
Ilorin, Nigeria.
SAKA Kamil K., PhD
Department of Computer Science
Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria.
ADEBAYO Aminat O.
Department of Computer Science
Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria.
BURAIMOH Henry O.
Department of Computer Science
Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria

Language Editor ABDULRAHEEM Hamza, PhD

Distance Learning Centre,
Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria
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Vice-Chancellor’s Remark

This publication is a manual of the courseware primarily designed by the Centre for
Distance Learning (HUI-DLC) of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria. In
particular, this volume is a symbol of the University's commitment to e-learning and
unrelenting efforts in making its instructional packages learner-friendly. The
courseware is intended to give students of the University an unrestricted access to
learning by breaking the barriers of physical distance. According to Marcus Specht,
a Professor of Advanced Learning technology, "... students of the future will
demand the learning support that is appropriate for their situation or context.
Nothing more, nothing less". Those students have arrived here in Al-Hikmah
University and the digital learning support is ready on their demand as this
courseware is hosted on the HUI-DLC cloud space use at their convenience, even in
the comfort of their homes and offices.

In appreciation of the strict limitation of space, this learning material equips the
learners with learning support devices and guides that are well domesticated within
the learning plan as dictated by the course design and set student‘s learning
objectives (SLOs) of the course in particular and envisioned goals of the programme
in general. The language is simple, lucid and accessible. The pictures and
illustrative figures (including display of screens) in full colours are added assets that
endear the text to readership of all categories. The complementary textual
explanations have been done in a coherent manner such that the unintended
ambiguities which may result from arbitrariness in the use of images and wordings
are avoided.

The University's Management warmly appreciates this giant stride made by HUI-
DLC team, while also expressing sturdy optimism that other arms of the University
will follow suit in the noble direction of putting the University in the global fold of
IT-compliant institutions of the 21st century.

Professor Lateef Folorunsho Oladimeji

Vice-Chancellor, AL Hikmah University, Ilorin
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Foreword

To further attain the vision and mission of Al-Hikmah University in promoting

academic and moral excellence, through appropriate learning for wisdom and
morality. The Distance Learning Centre (HUI-DLC) has designed courseware to
capture, not only the different ages and time, but also a wide range of Information
that will reposition Nigeria, Africa and the world at large for the better.

The Centre operates under the leadership of the Vice Chancellor; Professor Lateef
Folorunsho Oladimeji. It was established having realized the need to have capable
hands to serve humanity as scholars and practitioners in all fields in line with
international standards. The courseware have been carefully designed and structured
to reflect new developments at the local and global levels, to enable the learners fit
in anywhere in the world and be practitioners capable of shaping a better and safer
world. The Distance Learning Centre (HUI-DLC) is made up of competent, reliable
and selfless scholars of national and international repute.

The Centre wishes you a blessed and rewarding academic journey in your field of
study. This courseware contains course content, course information, course
requirement, learning support devices, learning objectives and learning sections for
your reading pleasure and assimilation.

Dr. Abdulrauf U. Tosho

Director, HUI-DLC
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Table of Contents
Course Information ..................................................................................................................................... ii
Learning Support Devices .......................................................................................................................... iii
Learning Section 1: ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction to Computer System ............................................................................................................. 1
Learning Section 2: ................................................................................................................................... 44
Computer Data and Information .............................................................................................................. 44
Learning Section 3: ................................................................................................................................... 63
Parts of a Computer System .................................................................................................................... 63
Learning Section 4: ................................................................................................................................... 88
Computer Application .............................................................................................................................. 88
Learning Section 5: ................................................................................................................................. 115
Office Productivity Tools ........................................................................................................................ 115
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COURSE PLAN

Learning Guide
Learning Section 1 Learning Section 2 Learning Section 3
Introduction to Computer Computer Data and Parts of a Computer
System Information System
Unit 1: The Definition of Computer Unit 1: Data and Information Unit 1: Computer Hardware
System
Unit 2: Classification of Computer Unit 2: Data Processing Unit 2: Computer
Software
System

Unit 3: Characteristics of a Computer Unit 3: Roles of Data Processing

System in the society

Unit 4: Components of a Computer

System

Learning Section 4 Learning Section 5

Computer Application Office Productivity Tools

Unit 1: Application Areas of Computers Unit 1: Word processing

Unit 2: Internet Technology Unit 2: Worksheet

Unit 3: Electronic Mail

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Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)

At the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Explain the term Computer System.

• Discuss the Classifications of Computer.
• Discuss the Characteristics of Computer.
LS 1 • Explain the Components of a Computer

• Explain the Data and Information of a computer

• Discuss the Electronic Data Processing and the Methods of Data Processing
LS 2 • Elaborate on the Roles of Data Processing in the Society

• Describe Computer Devices

• Discuss computer software and its importance.
LS 3

• Discuss computer application in different sectors

• Discuss Internet and its application areas
LS 4 • Explain the concept of electronic mail and privacy

• Explain basic details of Word processing

LS 5 • Explain basic details of worksheet
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Course Information
This course is expected to introduce you to the overview processes involve in
Database design and the allied terminologies that will guide the concrete
understanding of Data modeling. The Learning Sections will explore the various
components of Database management for a well-grounded knowledge and expertise
is this aspect of computing. It will introduce you to concepts such as entity
relationship model, construction and notation of E-R model, requirement analysis of
Database, Data integrity and redundancy among other related concepts of Database
management system

Pre-requisites: NIL

Course Requirements: Attaining learning success

All learning relating to open distance learning approach is designed to cater for
learners that are separated by space and time for the lecturer. Hence, learners are
expected to gain access to learning content through electronic means which makes it
imperative to download the instructional content for self-study at own pace with
minimal interference from the course tutor.

This courseware is available on the Al-Hikmah University website at

[Link] and it is in printable format for instant access. It is
important to note that this material is also packaged on removable storage devices to
simplify and provide choice of accessibility and mobility of instruction.

Learners can as well visit the HUI-DLC Virtual Classroom at

[Link] by logging in with their parameters, navigating the
course of study and eventually clicking on the course code CMP404 for download
or read online.

Learners are expected to stick to the schedules of interaction periods and durations
with tutors and as well take all the form of assessment as lined in the course outline.
It is pertinent to note the concept of ‗open‘ in distance learning that learners have
the free will of learning time and period and could at the same time determines the
examination period of their choice.

The major requirement for open and distance learning is the possession of electronic
gadgets/devices for ease of access to all the forms of learning material for this
course.
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Learning Support Devices

In the attempt to interact with the learning content in the Al-Hikmah University
HUI-DLC Learning Management System and the physical material, easy to identify
icons have been put together to guide your learning through the courseware.
Learners are required to familiarize themselves with each of these icons because it is
going to provide fruitful assistance to achieving success in knowledge acquisition
and achievement.

The icons are displayed along with their meaning as follows:

Introduction Learning Main Content Summary

Objectives

Tutor Marked Self- Open Education

Downloadable
Assignment Assessment Material
Resources

Interaction Medium References Further Readings Self-Advancement

In-Text Question In-Text Youtube Podcast

Answer

Grading Trend and Assessment

100
20 20 60 =
+ +
%
TMA CA EXAM TOTAL
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Learning Section 1:

Introduction to Computer System

Units
Unit 1: The Computer System

Unit 2: Classification of Computer System

Unit 3: Characteristics of a Computer System

Unit 4: Components of a Computer System

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Unit 1: The Computer System

Introduction
Our society and daily activities have undergone a tremendous change
as a result of advancement in technology and this advancement
makes life easy and simple especially with the use of computers.
Today, we have seen how Computer forms an integral part of our
lifestyles mostly in our homes, offices, schools, hotels and places of
worship. In this study session, you will learn about Computer
System and history of Computer System .

Student Learning Objectives

I
At the end of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Define a Computer System
2. Discuss the application of Computer in education
3. Explain the following terms as it relates to a Computer System :
i. Hardware
ii. Software

Main Content

Introduction to Computer

The Computer involves the technologically advanced hardware combine

together to work at great speed. To execute its various activities, the Computer
consists of different parts, every single part serve a specific purpose in
conjunction with other parts. Therefore, a Computer can be defined as an
electronic device that can accept Data as input, process Data in order to generate
the desired output using instructions (Program). A Computer System is
basically made up of the Central Processing Unit (normally known as the
computer), the monitor, the keyboard and the mouse.
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Figure 1: Diagram of a Computer System

Source: [Link]

Furthermore a Computer is basically defined as a tool or machine used for

processing Data to give required information. It is capable of:
i. taking input Data through the keyboard (input unit)
ii. storing the input Data in a diskette, hard disk or other medium
iii. processing it at the central processing unit (CPU) and
iv. Giving out the result (output) on the screen or the Visual Display
Unit (VDU).

A Computer System is a combination of physical tangible things like

keyboards, mouse, monitors, internal circuits and communication media known as
hardware while the intangible things like stored programs known as software. The
two are related and interconnect with each other. Furthermore A Computer is a
device or set of devices that works under the control of a stored program that
spontaneously accepts and processes Data to supply information.
In educational institutions such as Computers can perform a task through these
media:

i. Automatic: it performs instructions with least human intervention

ii. Re-programmable: it stores instruction (the program)
iii. A Data processor: it performs operations on Data (numbers or words)
made up of a group of digits to generate information.

One of the key functions of Computer is the execution of routine and

administrative tasks such as the keeping of academic and administrative records
on admissions, examinations, staffing and other routine functions.
In computer, Data is the name given to raw facts. Information is the significant
Data that is relevant, accurate, and up to date and can be used to make decisions
in a computer.
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A Computer accepts and then processes input Data according to the instructions
given. The element of any sort of processing is input, processing, storage, and
output. This can be shown in the figure below:

Figure 2: Data Processing Unit

Source: [Link]

A Computer operation is executed base on the programmed logical and

arithmetical rules.
The arithmetical element might be as easier as x + y = z.
The logic will be something along the lines of if x + y does not
equal z then add 3 to x and try again.
A Program can be defined as a set of coded instructions, which informs the
Computer of what to perform. For as much as the instructions are being carried
out, they are normally held in the computer‘s internal storage or memory.
Application of Computers in Education
Computer has become a universal tool of any modern man (or woman).
Literacy today is not defined only in terms of the ability to read and/or write but
in addition, it includes the ability to use and communicate with the aid of
computer. In the education sector, computers are being used to promote teaching
and learning. The field of education provides the most fascinating application of
computing system. This has consequently attracted considerable attention from
educationist and policy makers since the late 1960s, when computers were
introduced into the classroom. The entry of the Computer into the classroom
has now offered opportunities and possibilities for students to develop their
potentials with computer-aided instructions packages.
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Box 1.0
What is a Computer?

A Computer can be defined as an electronic device that can accept Data

as input, process Data in order to generate the desired output using instructions
(Program).

History of Computers
The history of the Computer goes back several decades however; the word
‗computer‘ is an ancient word that has transformed its meaning several times in
the last few centuries. Originated from the Latin, by the mid-17th century it means
to compute which indicates to calculate‘. From the earliest times the need to carry
out calculations has been developing. The initial step entails the development of
counting and calculation aids such as the counting board and the abacus.

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) was the son of a tax collector and a mathematical
intellect. He developed the earlier mechanical calculator (Pascaline) based on
gears. It executed addition and subtraction.

Figure 3: Blaise Pascal and his Mechanical Calculator

Source: www. [Link]

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) was a German mathematician and

developed the earlier calculator to do multiplication and division. It was not
dependable as a result of accuracy of modern parts.
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Figure 4: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and his Calculator

Source: [Link]

Charles Babbage (1792-1872) was a British originator who planned an ‗analytical

engine‘ integrating the designs of a memory and card input/output for Data and
instructions. Again, the present-day technology did not allow the whole
construction of the machine. Babbage is mainly recalled because of the work of
Augusta Ada (Countess of Lovelace) who was perhaps the major Computer
programmer.

Figure 5: Charles Babbage and his Analytical Engine

Source: [Link]

William Seward Burroughs (1855-1898) introduced the first commercially

successful mechanical adding machine of which a million were sold by 1926.
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Figure 6: William Seward Burroughs and his Mechanical adding machine

Source: [Link], [Link]

Herman Hollerith (1860-1929) established an electromechanical punched-card

tabulator to formulate the Data for 1890 U.S. Census. Data was entered on
punched cards and could be sorted according to the census requirements. The
machine was powered by electricity. He designed the Tabulating Machine
Company which became International Business Machines (IBM). IBM is remains
one of the leading Computer companies in the world.

Figure 7: Herman Hollerith and his tabulating machine

Source: [Link]

Howard Hathaway Aiken (1900-1973) was a Harvard professor. With the support
of IBM, he assembled the Harvard Mark Computer (51ft long) in 1944. It was
based on relays (operate in milliseconds) as different to the use of gears. It
required 3 seconds for a multiplication.
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Figure 8: Howard Hathaway Aiken and his computer

Source: [Link]

Eckert and Mauchly designed and assembled the Electronic Numerical Integrator
and Computer (ENIAC) in 1946 for military computations. It used vacuum tubes
(valves) which were totally electronic (operated in microseconds) as different to
the relay which was electromechanical. It weighed 30 tons, used 18000 valves,
and needed 140 watts of power. It was 1000 times quicker than the Mark I
multiplying in 3 milliseconds. ENIAC was a decimal machine and could not be
programmed without modifying its setup by hand.

Figure 9: The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC)

Source: [Link]
John Vincent Atanasoff (1903-1995) had made a specific Computer in 1941 and
was visited by Mauchly before the construction of the ENIAC.
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Figure 10: John Vincent Atanasoff and his computer

Source: [Link], [Link]

John Von Neumann (1903-1957) was a scientific genius and was a consultant on
the ENIAC project. He formulated plans with Mauchly and Eckert for a new
Computer (EDVAC) which was to store programs as well as Data. This is
known the stored program concept and Von Neumann is credited with it. Virtually
all current computers are based on this idea and are denoted to as Von Neumann
machines. He also concluded that the binary system was more appropriate for
computers since switches have only two values. He went on to plan his own
Computer at Princeton which was a general purpose machine.

Figure 11: John Von Neumann and the EDVAC

Source: [Link]
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Box 1.1
What is the meaning of ENIAC?

ENIAC means Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer

Summary
In this Unit, you have learnt that:
The Computer involves the technologically advanced hardware combine
together to work at great speed. To execute its various activities, the Computer
consists of different parts; every single part serves a specific purpose in
conjunction with other parts. A Computer operation is executed base on the
programmed logical and arithmetical rules. The word ‗computer‘ is an ancient
word that has transformed its meaning several times in the last few centuries.
Originated from the Latin, by the mid-17th century it means to compute which
indicates to calculate‘. The initial development of Computer entails the
development of counting and calculation aids such as the counting board and the
abacus.

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions.
I. Explain the term ―Computer System ‖.
II. Who developed earlier mechanical calculator?
III. Who was the British originator that planned analytical engine?
IV. Hardware can be referred to as …………….
V. …… is defined as a set of coded instruction, which direct Computer on
tasks to perform.

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Discuss in what ways are Computer being used to improve our quality of
life?
ii. Write short notes on
a) Keyboard
b) Mouse
c) Monitor
iii. List four key features of computer.
iv. State three purposes of a computer.
v. What is a Computer System capable of doing?
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Further Readings

1. "Computer System Architecture" by MIT OpenCourseWare (online

course, 2022)
2. "Computer System Design" by Harvard University (online course,
2022)
3. "Classification of Computer System s" by Tutorials Point (online
tutorial, 2022)
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References

1. Computer System Classification" by GeeksforGeeks (online tutorial,

2022)
2. "Computer System Types" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial,
2022)
3. "Classification of Computer System s" by Computer Hope (online
article, 2022)
4. "Computer System Classification" by iFixit (online guide, 2022)
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Unit 2: Classification of Computer System

Introduction
In this unit, you will be introduced to the Classification of Computer System and
how they can be grouped into classes.

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Identify the classes of computers
2. Describe the following in term of their classifications
i. Digital Computer
ii. Analog Computer
iii. Hybrid Computer
iv. Mini Computer
v. Personal Computer

Main Content

Classifications of Computers

The computers can be grouped into four which are

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Figure 12: Classifications of computer

Source: [Link]

Classification based on the Data Processing

There are mainly three types of electronic computers. These are:
i. Digital Computer
ii. Analog Computer
iii. Hybrid Computer
Digital Computer

Digital Computer Represent its variable in the form of digits. It counts the Data it deals
with, whether representing numbers, letters or other symbols are converted into binary
form on input to the computer. The Data undergoes a processing after which the binary
digits are converted back to alpha numeric form for output for human use. Because of the
fact that business applications like inventory control, invoicing and payroll deal with
discrete values (separate, disunited, discontinuous); they are beset processed with digital
computers. As a result of this, digital computers are mostly used in commercial and
business places today.
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Figure 13: Example of Digital Computer

Source: [Link]

Analog Computer
The aspect of analog Computer deals with quantities that are continuously varied, it
measures rather than counts. This type of Computer sets up a model of a system.
Common type signifies it variables in terms of electrical voltage and sets up circuit
analog to the equation linking the variables. This can be done either by using a voltmeter
to read the value of the variable needed, or by feeding the voltage into a plotting device.
They hold Data in the method of physical variables rather than numerical quantities. In
theory, analog computers provide a precise answer because the answer has not been
approximated to the nearest digit. Whereas, when you try to acquire the answers using a
digital voltmeter, you often find that the accuracy is less than that which could have been
acquired from an analog computer. It is almost never used in business systems. The
analog Computer is used by the scientist and engineer to resolve systems of partial
differential equations. It is also used in controlling and monitoring of systems in such
areas as hydrodynamics and rocketry; in production.
There are two useful properties of this Computer once it is programmed namely;
i. It is easier to change the value of a constant or coefficient and study the effect of
such changes.
ii. It is likely to link certain variables to a time pulse to study changes with time as a
variable, and chart the result on an X-Y plotter.
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Figure 14: Example of Analog Computer

Source: [Link]

Hybrid Computer
A hybrid Computer is a type of Computer that is planned to provide the types and
functions that are seen by both the digital and the analog computers. Features of
Hybrid Computer
i. This Computer combines the features of both analog and digital computers.
ii. It handles Data in both quantities and variable.
iii. In some cases, the operator may wish to acquire the output from an analog
Computer as processed by a digital Computer or vice versa. To accomplish
this, the operator will set up a hybrid machine where the two are linked and the
analog Computer could be known as a peripheral of the digital computer. In
such a situation, a hybrid system tries to gain the advantage of both the digital
and the analog elements in the same machine.
iv. This type of machine is normally a special-purpose device which is created for a
particular task.
v. It requires conversion elements which permit analog inputs, and output digital
value. Such converters are called digitizers. There is need for a converter from
analog to digital also.
vi. It has the advantage of giving real-time response on a continuous basis.
vii. Complex calculations can be dealt with by the digital elements, thereby
requiring a large memory, and giving accurate results after programming.
viii. It is mainly used in aerospace and process control applications.
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Figure 14: Example of Hybrid Computer

Source: [Link]

Box 2.0

What are the three types of electronic computers?

i. Digital Computer
ii. Analog Computer
iii. Hybrid Computer

Classification by Purpose

There are two major types of purpose of computers are as given below:

Figure 14: Example of Hybrid Computer

Source: [Link]
Special Purpose Computers
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A special purpose Computer is the one that is made to resolve a constrained class of
problems. However, such computers may even be planned and make to handle only one
job. In such machines, the stages that the Computer follows may be created into the
hardware. These sets of computers are design for military purposes are grouped into this
class. Other examples of special purpose computers include:
i. Computers created specially to resolve navigational problems.
ii. Computers designed for tracing airplane or missiles.
iii. Computers served as a method for processing the control applications in
industries such as oil refinery, chemical manufacture, steel processing and
power generation.
iv. Computers served as robots in factories like vehicles assembly plants and
aluminum industries.
Attributes of Special Purpose Computers
Special purpose computers are normally very effective for the activities for which they
are personally designed.
i. They are very much less difficult than the General-Purpose Computers.
ii. They are inexpensive than the General-Purpose type since they require less
components and are less difficult.
General-Purpose Computers
General-Purpose computers are computers designed to handle an extensive range of
problems. Ideally, a general-purpose Computer can be suitable by means of some
easily changing instructions to handle problems that can be resolved by computation. In
practice however, there are restrictions forced by memory size, speed and the type of
input/output devices. The examples of seven areas where the general purpose computers
are:
i. Banking
ii. Inventory Control
iii. Manufacturing Scheduling
iv. Payroll
v. Billing
vi. Sales Analysis
vii. Cost Accounting
Attributes of General-Purpose Computers
i. General-Purpose computers are more flexible than special purpose computers
ii. They can handle a wide spectrum of problems.
iii. They are less effective than the special-purpose computers as a result of problems
which includes;
• Inadequate storage.
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• Low operating speed.

• Coordination of the numerous activities and subgroup may take time.
• General Purpose Computers are more difficult than the special purpose
ones.

Box 2.1

What are the Computer classifications based on purpose?

i. General-Purpose Computers
ii. Special-Purpose Computers

Classification by Size/Capacity
The capacity of a Computer can easily be defined as the volume of work that
Computer can handle. The volume of work that a given Computer handles is strictly
tied to the cost and to the memory size of computer. The memory size and cost shall be
used to rank (classify) computer

Figure 15: Classification of Computer by Capacity

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The Mainframe and MiniComputer can be explained in the table below

Table 1.1: Explain the attributes of Mainframes and Minicomputer

S/N Mainframes Minicomputers

1. It is a system that has central It was early introduced in 1965
Computer connected by
cable or telecommunications
to thousands of terminals
and capable of accepting
immediate input from all.
2. The Main Frame Computers It is a Computer whose size,
often called number speed and capabilities lie
crunches have memory between those of a mainframe
capacity of the order of 4 and personal computer.
Kbytes.
3. Mainframe has many times The mini computers have
more processing power than memory capacity ranging from
a PC and offers very 128k bytes to
extensive Data storage 2Gbytes.
facilities.
4. They are very costly. The mini computers are
inexpensive, reliable and
smaller in size compare to
mainframe.
5. They can perform up to The introduction of more
100MIPS powerful chips indicates that
(Meanwhile Instructions Per some 'Super Minis' and even
Second). PCs connected in a network
can run faster than small
mainframe
6. They have large systems and
are used by many people for
a variety of purpose.

These are the pictures of Mainframes Computer and Minicomputer

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Figure 16: Mainframes Computer and Minicomputer.

Source: [Link]

Microcomputer
MicroComputer market was mainly established by companies like APPLE
COMPUTERS, but a crucial event was the launch of the IBM PC in August 1981.
Microcomputers, also referred to as single board computers, are the inexpensive class
of computers. In microComputer the central processing unit is absence compare to
the larger computers where we have a microprocessor chip as the key Data
processing unit. MicroComputer is the cheapest smallest and can perform under
normal office condition. Examples are IBM, APPLE, COMPAQ, Hewlett Packard
(HP), Dell Toshiba, etc.

Figure 17: Example of a Microcomputer.

Source: [Link]
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Today microcomputers are Personal Computer System and they are well-known from
other Computer System s because of possessing a single microprocessor.
Types of Personal Computers (Micro Computers)
A personal Computer is sited on table desk therefore they are known to as desktop
personal computers. The personal computers can be classified into different parts
namely: Notebook, Laptop and Palmtop Computers
Laptop Computers
These are small size kinds that are battery-operated. The screen is used to cover the
system while the keyboard is installed completely on the system unit. They could be
taken around everywhere and can perform tasks anywhere while at the market.
Notebook Computer

It is in form of a laptop Computer but smaller in size. However, it is small and it

involves all the components of a full system.
Palmtop Computer
It is designed in such a way that it can be held on the palm, and is far smaller in size. All
the features are complete as any of the above mentioned. Example includes Tablet,
Mobile Phone etc.
The pictures BELOW indicate the various types of Personal System

Figure 18: Type of microcomputers.

Source: [Link]
The usefulness of Personal Computer can be seen as listed below:
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i. It can be used to keep a document.

ii. Personal Computer can be used for budgeting purpose.
iii. It can examine numeric function.
iv. It can generate diagrams.
v. It can be used to send mails.
vi. It can help in programs and plan projects.
vii. It can assist in looking for particular Information on web.
The table below differentiates and explains the features of Advantages and
Disadvantages of Personal Computer. Table
1.2: Merits and Demerits of Personal Computers
S/N Merits Demerits
1. Computer is multipurpose; Computer is expensive to
it can be used in any keep.
institution.
2. It is quicker for processing It is very delicate and difficult
Data. to handle
3. It performs numerous tasks It needs special skill to operate
at a time
4. It has the ability of storing It can lead to unemployment
many Data. when used mostly in less
developed countries.
5. Operating of Computer is
less weakness.

Box 2.2
What are the Computer classifications based on capacity?
i. Mini Computers
ii. Micro Computers
iii. Mainframe Computers

Classification by Generation

First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes

The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory,
and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate
and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, they generated a lot of heat, which was
often the cause of malfunctions. First generation computers relied on machine language,
the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations,
and they could only solve one problem at a time. Input was based on punched cards and
 P a g e | 25

paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts. The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers
are examples of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first
commercial Computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

Figure 19: First Generation of Computer

Source: www. [Link]

Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors

Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers.
The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until
the late 1950s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to
become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-
generation predecessors. Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that
subjected the Computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube.
Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for
output. Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to
symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in
words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such
as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that
stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to
magnetic core technology. The first computers of this generation were developed for the
atomic energy industry.
 P a g e | 26

Figure 20: Second Generation of Computer

Source: www. [Link]

Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of
computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called
semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers
through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed
the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that
monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass
audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

Figure 21: Third Generation of Computer

Source: www. [Link]
 P a g e | 27

Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of
integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled
an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in
1971, located all the components of the computer—from the central processing unit and
memory to input/output controls—on a single chip. In 1981 IBM introduced its first
Computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh.
Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas
of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors. As these
small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks,
which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers
also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.

Figure 22: Fourth Generation of Computer

Source: www. [Link]

Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence

Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in
development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are
being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make
artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology
will radically change the face of computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation
computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable
of learning and self-organization.
 P a g e | 28

Figure 23: Fifth Generation of Computer

Source: [Link]
Box 2.3
What are the Computer classifications based on generations?
i. First Generation Computers
ii. Second Generation Computers
[Link] Generation Computers
iv. Fourth Generation Computers
[Link] Generation Computers

Summary
In this Unit, you have learnt that:
The types of computers based on different classifications which are;
i. Classifications based on the Data Processing
ii. Classification by Purpose
iii. Classifications by Size/Capacity
iv. classifications based on generations
Laptop Computers: They are small size kinds that are battery-operated? The screen is
used to cover the system while the keyboard is installed completely on the system unit.
They could be taken around everywhere and can perform tasks anywhere while at the
market.
 P a g e | 29

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this unit, you can assess how well you have achieved its
Learning Outcomes by answering these questions.
i. The combination of two electronic computers is …………….
ii. Notebook Computer is an example of ……….
iii. What are the forms of electronic computer

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Explain the following terms;
 Digital Computer
 Radio Computer
 Analog Computer
 Hybrid Computer
ii. Distinguish between the attributes of Mainframes and Minicomputer
iii. MicroComputer is the cheapest smallest and can perform under normal office
condition, Discuss.

Further Readings

1. "Classification of Computer System s" by Coursera (online course, 2022)

2. "Computer System Classification" by edX (online course, 2022)
3. "Computer System Types" by Udemy (online course, 2022)
 P a g e | 30

References

1. "Computer Organization and Design" by David A. Patterson and John L.

Hennessy (6th edition, 2020)
2. "Computer System s: A Programmer's Perspective" by Randal E. Bryant and
David R. O'Hallaron (3rd edition, 2020)
3. "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach" by John L. Hennessy
and David A. Patterson (6th edition, 2020)
4. "The Elements of Computing Systems" by Noam Nisan and Shimon
Schocken (2nd edition, 2020)
5. "Computer Hardware and Software" by Peter Norton (2020)
 P a g e | 31

Unit 3: Characteristics of a Computer System

Introduction
In this unit, you will learn about characteristics and basic elements of a Computer
System .

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. List major characteristics of a Computer System
ii. Highlight the basic elements of a Computer System
iii. Explain the following terms;
 Mouse
 Keyboard
 Monitor
 Motherboard
 P a g e | 32

Main Content

Characteristics of a Computer System

The characteristics of a Computer are the features that a Computer must have. Below
are some characteristics of a computer.
Speed: The Computer can manipulate large Data at incredible speed and response time
can be very fast.

Accuracy: Its accuracy is very high and its consistency can be relied upon. Errors
committed in computing are mostly due to human rather than technological weakness.
There are in-built-error detecting schemes in the computer.

Storage: It has both internal and external storage facilities for holding Data and
instructions. This capacity varies from one machine to the other. Memories are built up in
K(Kilo) modules where K = 1024 memory locations.

Automatic: Once a program is in the computer‘s memory, it can run automatically each
time it is opened. The individual has little or no instruction to give again.

Reliability: Being a machine, a Computer does not suffer human traits of tiredness and
lack of concentration. It will perform the last job with the same speed and accuracy as the
first job every time even if ten million jobs are involved.

Flexibility: It can perform any type of task once it is reduced to logical steps. Modern
computers can be used to perform a variety of functions like on-line processing, multi-
programming, real time processing etc.

Box 3.0

List two major characteristics of computer?

i. Speed
ii. Accuracy

Basic Elements of Computer System

The basic elements of a Computer System are Mouse, Keyboard, monitor, memory,
CPU, motherboard, Hard Disk, Speakers, Modem, power supply unit and processor.
Mouse: Mouse is used for operating the system. Nowadays, optical mouse is more
popular as compared to simple mouse.
 P a g e | 33

Keyboard: Keyboard is used to input Data in to the system so that the system gives
output to the user. Therefore, the keyboard is an integral part of the input system. A
Computer is essentially incomplete without a keyboard.

Monitor: Monitor, is another very essential part of the Computer System that displays
the actions that the Computer performs on our command.

Motherboard: Motherboard is a necessary element of the Computer System . It

contains different elements as memory, processor, modem slots for graphic card and
LAN card.

Hard Disk: Hard disk is used to store Data permanently on computer.

Modem: Modem is used to connecting to the Internet. Two types of modems are widely
used. One is known as software modems and the other is known as hardware modems.

Speakers: Speakers are also included in the basic elements of a computer. It is not
indispensable, because a Computer can perform its function without speakers.
However, we use them for multiple purposes.

Figure 24: Some Basic Elements of a Computer System

Source: www. [Link]
 P a g e | 34

Box 3.1

List basic elements of a computer

i Mouse
ii. Keyboard
iii. Hard disk
iv. CPU
v. Monitor

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
The characteristics of a Computer are the features that a Computer must have. They
are: Speed, Accuracy, Storage, Automatic, Reliability, and Flexibility. Basic elements of
a Computer System are Mouse, Keyboard, monitor, memory, CPU, motherboard,
Hard Disk, Speakers, Modem, power supply and processor.

Self-Study Assessment
i. ………… used for operating the system. Nowadays, optical mouse is more
popular as compared to simple mouse.
ii. ………… used to input Data in to the system so that the system gives
output to the user.
iii. …………. displays the actions that the Computer performs on our
command.
iv. …………. contains different elements as memory, processor, modem slots
for graphic card and LAN card.
v. …………. used to store Data permanently on computer.

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. List and explain the following terms;
 Accuracy
 Speed
 Flexibility
 Mouse
 Keyboard
ii. Why is a Computer System flexible?
 P a g e | 35

Further Readings

1. "Characteristics of a Computer System " by Tutorials Point (online tutorial,

2022)
2. "Computer System Characteristics" by GeeksforGeeks (online tutorial,
2022)
3. "Computer System Basics" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial, 2022)
 P a g e | 36

References

1. "Computer Organization and Design" by David A. Patterson and John L.

Hennessy (6th edition, 2020)
2. "Computer System s: A Programmer's Perspective" by Randal E. Bryant and
David R. O'Hallaron (3rd edition, 2020)
3. "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach" by John L. Hennessy
and David A. Patterson (6th edition, 2020)
4. "The Elements of Computing Systems" by Noam Nisan and Shimon
Schocken (2nd edition, 2020)
5. "Computer Hardware and Software" by Peter Norton (2020)
6. Computer System Performance" by Computer Hope (online article, 2022)
7. "How to Evaluate a Computer System " by iFixit (online guide, 2022)
 P a g e | 37

Unit 4: Components of a Computer System

Introduction
In the previous unit, you learnt about characteristics and basic elements of a
Computer System . You also learnt that a Computer is an ensemble of different
components that you will be using to accomplish your job. Computers are an
integral part of our lifestyles today and are found at offices, homes, schools,
colleges, hotels, shops etc. In this unit, you will learn about components of a
Computer System .
.
Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. List the Component of a Computer System
ii. Explain the following terms;
 Compact Disc
 HD DVD
 Floppy Disk
 USB flash drive
 Secondary Storage
 P a g e | 38

Main Content

Components of a Computer System

Motherboard
The motherboard is the main component inside the case. It is a large rectangular board
with integrated circuitry that connects the various parts of the Computer as the CPU,
RAM, Disk drives (CD, DVD, Hard disk or any others) as well as any other peripherals
connected via the ports or the expansion slots.
Components directly attached to the motherboard include:
i. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) performs most of the calculations that enable a
Computer to function and it is sometimes referred to as the "brain" of the
computer. It is usually cooled by a heat sink and fan.
ii. The chip set aids communication between the CPU and the other components of
the system, including main memory.
iii. Random Access Memory (RAM) stores all running processes (applications) and the
current running OS.
iv. The BIOS includes boot firmware and power management. The Basic Input Output
System tasks are handled by operating system drivers.
v. Internal Buses connect the CPU to various internal components and to expansion
cards for graphics and sound. These internal buses can either be currently used or
an obsolete technology

A. Current Technology
 The north bridge memory controller, for RAM and PCI Express
 PCI Express, for expansion cards such as graphics and physics
processors, and high-end network interfaces
 PCI, for other expansion cards
 SATA, for disk drives

B. Obsolete Technology
 ATA (superseded by SATA)
 AGP (superseded by PCI Express)
 VLB VESA Local Bus (superseded by AGP)
 ISA (expansion card slot format obsolete in PCs but still used in
industrial computers)

vi. External Bus Controllers support ports for external peripherals. These ports may be
controlled directly by the south bridge I/O controller or based on expansion cards
attached to the motherboard through the PCI bus. Examples are; USB, FireWire,
SATA, SCSI
 P a g e | 39

Power Supply
A power supply unit (PSU) converts alternating current (AC) electric power to low-
voltage DC power for the internal components of the computer. Some power supplies
have a switch to change between 230V and 115V. Other models have automatic sensors
that switch input voltage automatically or are able to accept any voltage within these
limits.
Power supply units used in computers are generally Switch Mode Power Supplies
(SMPS). The SMPS provides regulated direct current power at several voltages as
required by the motherboard and accessories such as disk drives and cooling fans.

Removable Media Devices

i. CD (compact disc): The most common type of removable media, suitable for music
and Data
 CD-ROM Drive: A device used for reading Data from a CD
 CD Writer: A device used for both reading and writing Data to and from a CD

ii. DVD (digital versatile disc): A popular type of removable media that is the same
size as a CD but stores up to 12 times as much information- the most common way
of transferring digital video and is popular for Data storage
 DVD-ROM Drive: A device used for reading Data from a DVD
 DVD Writer: A device used for both reading and writing Data to and from a
DVD
 DVD-RAM Drive: A device used for rapid writing and reading of Data from a
special type of DVD

iii. Blu-ray Disc: A high density optical disc format for Data and high-definition video
that can store 70 times as much Information as a CD
 BD-ROM Drive: A device used for reading Data from a Blu-ray disc.
 BD Writer: A device used for both reading and writing Data to and from a
Blu-ray disc

iv. HD DVD: A discontinued competitor to the Blu-ray format

v. Floppy disk: An outdated storage device consisting of a thin disk of a flexible

magnetic storage medium used today mainly for loading RAID drivers

vi. Iomega Zip drive: An outdated medium-capacity removable disk storage system,
first introduced by Iomega in 1994.

vii. USB flash drive: A flash memory Data storage device integrated with a USB
interface, typically small, lightweight, removable and rewritable with varying
 P a g e | 40

capacities from hundreds of megabytes (in the same ballpark as CDs) to tens of
gigabytes (surpassing, at great expense, Blu-ray discs)

viii. Tape drive: A device that reads and writes Data on a magnetic tape, used for long
term storage and backups

Secondary Storage

This hardware keeps Data inside the Computer for later use and retains it even when the
Computer has no power.
i. Hard disk: A device for medium-term storage of Data.

ii. Solid-state drive: A device quite similar to the hard disk, but containing no moving
parts and which stores Data in a digital format.

iii. RAID array controller: A device to manage several internal or external hard disks
and optionally some peripherals in order to achieve performance or reliability
improvement in what is called a RAID array

Sound Card
This device enables the Computer to output sound to audio devices, as well as accept
input from a microphone. Most modern computers have sound cards built-in to the
motherboard, though it is common for a user to install a separate sound card as an
upgrade. Most sound cards are either built-in or added.

Other Peripherals
In addition, hardware devices can include external components of a Computer System .
The following are either standard or very common.
i. Text input devices

 Keyboard: A device to input text and characters by pressing buttons (referred

to as keys)

ii. Pointing devices

 Mouse: A pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to its

supporting surface.

 Optical Mouse: It uses light to determine motion.

 P a g e | 41

 Trackball: A pointing device consisting of an exposed protruding ball housed

in a socket that detects rotation about the two axes.

 Touch screen: it senses the user pressing directly on the display

iii. Gaming devices

 Joystick: A control device that consists of a handheld stick that pivots around
one end, to detect angles in two or three dimensions

 Gamepad: A handheld game controller that relies on the digits/ fingers

(especially thumbs) to provide input.

 Game controller: A specific type of controller specialized for certain gaming

purposes

iv. Image, video input devices

 Image scanner: A device that provides input by analyzing images, printed text,
handwriting or an object

 Webcam: A low resolution video camera used to provide visual input that can
be easily transferred over the Internet

v. Audio input devices

 Microphone: An acoustic sensor that provides input by converting sound into

electrical signals

Box 4.0

List three removable media devices discussed in this study session.

i. Blu-ray Disc
ii. Compact Disc
iii. HD DVD

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
The Data received from the keyboard is processed by the CPU, i.e. the Central
Processing Unit. The CPU controls and manipulates the Data that produce information.
 P a g e | 42

Output devices translate the processed Information from the Computer into a form
that a Computer operator can understand.
The motherboard is the main component inside the case. It is a large rectangular board
with integrated circuitry that connects the various parts of the Computer as the CPU,
RAM, Disk drives (CD, DVD, Hard disk or any others) as well as any other peripherals
connected via the ports or the expansion slots.

Self-Study Assessment

i. ………… A control device that consists of a handheld stick that pivots around one
end, to detect angles in two or three dimensions
ii. ……………. A device that provides input by analyzing images, printed text,
handwriting or an object

iii. ……………. A pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to its
supporting surface.
iv. …………. A pointing device consisting of an exposed protruding ball housed in a
socket that detects rotation about the two axes.
v. …………. A device to input text and characters by pressing buttons (referred to as
keys)

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. List and explain three components of a Computer System .

ii. Mention some of the components directly attached to the motherboard.

Further Readings
1. "Computer System Components" by Tutorials Point (online tutorial, 2022)
2. "Components of a Computer System " by GeeksforGeeks (online tutorial,
2022)
3. "Computer System Basics" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial, 2022)
 P a g e | 43

References
1. "Computer Organization and Design" by David A. Patterson and John L.
Hennessy (6th edition, 2020)
2. "Computer System s: A Programmer's Perspective" by Randal E. Bryant and
David R. O'Hallaron (3rd edition, 2020)
3. "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach" by John L. Hennessy
and David A. Patterson (6th edition, 2020)
4. "The Elements of Computing Systems" by Noam Nisan and Shimon
Schocken (2nd edition, 2020)
4. "Co"Computer Hardware Components" by Computer Hope (online article,
2022)
5. "How to Assemble a Computer" by iFixit (online guide, 2022)
5. mputer Hardware and Software" by Peter Norton (2020)
 P a g e | 44

Learning Section 2:

Computer Data and Information

Units
Unit 1: Data and Information

Unit 2: Data Processing

Unit 3: Roles of Data Processing in the Society.

 P a g e | 45

Unit 1: Data and Information

Introduction
In the previous study sessions, you were introduced to how Computer processes
Data to give a desired output. Data can be explained as an illustration of facts,
theories in dignifies way, which can be appropriate for communication, processing
by electronic machine, while Information is the processed Data on which
decisions and actions are established. In this study session, you will learn
about Data and information.

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Define Data
ii. Explain the features of a Processed Data
iii. State different forms of Data
iv. Explain Information

Main Content

Data and Information

Data can be referred to as a symbol of details, model or Information in a formalized
method, which can be useful to communication, clarification or processing by human or
electronic machine. Data is signified with the help of characters like alphabets (A-Z, a-
z), digits (0-9) or special characters (+,-,/,*,<,>,=, etc.). Data occur in different forms
which include:
i. Numbers or text on pieces of paper,
ii. Bytes in Computer memory or
iii. Facts stored in a person's mind
Information is to classify Data so that it has some significant values/meaning to the
receiver. Therefore, Information is the processed Data on which decisions and actions
are founded. The term Data is referred to facts about a person, object or place e.g. name,
age, complexion, school, class, height [Link] while, Information is referred to as processed
Data or a meaningful statement e.g. Net pay of workers, examination results of students,
list of successful candidates in an examination or interview [Link]
 P a g e | 46

However for a decision to be meaningful, the processed Data must pose the following
features:
 Timely: Information should be obtained when needed
 Accuracy: Information should be precise
 Completeness: Information should be comprehensive
Data is the plural form of the word datum and signifies the elementary facts about an
object. An object refers to a person, place, or a thing.
Box 1.0

What is Data?
Data can be referred to as a symbol of details, model or Information in a
formalized method, which can be useful to communication, clarification or processing
by human or electronic machine.

Data involve numbers, words, images, etc. Data is baseless until it undergoes some
forms of processing. The result of a processed Data is information. Though the word
Data and Information are frequently used interchangeably, there is a significant
difference between them. In the real sense, Data entails the raw number that computers
process to produce information. Data can basically focus at facts out of context.
Example can be illustrated using registered students of the university. The Data items
consisting of Matriculation Number, Name, Faculty, Department, State of origin, Place
of residence, Status and e-mail are used to hold the students details. Data item are actual
details or value.
Table 1.0: Registered Student Details

S/N Data Item Details

1. Matriculation Number 15/03CMP001
2. Name Muhammad Chinedu Afolabi
3. Faculty Education
4. Department Educational Technology
5. State of Origin Kwara
6. Place of Residence Abuja
7. Status Fresher
8. E-mail 1503CMP001@[Link]

Similarly, a commercial bank may request for the following Data before the same
student can operate an account or enjoy some banking services
 P a g e | 47

Table 1.1: Registered Student Details

S/N Data Item Details

1. Matriculation Number 15/03CMP001
2. Name Muhammad Chinedu, Afolabi
3. Date of Birth 1st January, 1900
4. Nationality Nigerian
5. Sex Male
6. Occupation Student
7. School Alhikmah University, Ilorin
8. E-mail 1503CMP001@[Link]

The Table 1.1 gives details of this student (Muhammad Chinedu, Afolabi) if considered
independently may not have particular meanings until it is exposed to some manual or
computerized processing. The raw Data in the tables may be advance processed by a
human or input into a computer, stored, processed and transmitted (output) to another
human or a computer.
A classic Data processing function will be to trace a student record or Data from a large
file based on matriculation number. If this process will be carried out manually, a lot of
time and efforts will be needed by the Data processing personnel. When the technique of
Data processing is manual, it is called manual Data processing. On the other hand, when
the process of processing is electronic we refer to it as electronic Data processing.
Computers are used to turn worthless Data by processing them into useful information,
such as spreadsheet, graphs, and reports.
However, Information is known as either a significant answer to a query or a
meaningful stimulus that can flow into further queries. For example, with the Data in
Table 3.1 and Table 1.1, the bank official may be involved in the number of students
from each school that have subscribed to a particular service it offers.
As a result, a query will be run on the existing Database. The result of the query will
generate Information which will assist the management of the bank to discontinue or
continue with the service. Some characteristics of Information are:
 P a g e | 48

Figure 25: Features of Processed Data

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
i. Data can be referred to as a symbol of details, model or Information in a
formalized method, which can be useful to communication, clarification or
processing by human or electronic machine. Data is signified with the help of
characters like alphabets (A-Z, a-z), digits (0-9) or special characters (+,-
,/,*,<,>,=, etc.).
ii. Information is to classify Data so that it has some significant values to the
receiver. Therefore, Information is the processed Data on which decisions and
actions are founded.

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. Data is baseless until it undergoes some forms of _______________
ii. When the technique of Data processing is manual, it is called________________
iii. ……… is a symbol of details model or Information in a formalized method,
which can be useful to communication, clarification or processing by human or
electronic machine.
 P a g e | 49

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Explain What is a Data
ii. State three forms of Data
iii. Define Information

Further Readings

1. "Data and Information Tutorial" by Tutorials Point (online tutorial, 2022)

2. "Data and Information: A Guide" by DataCamp (online tutorial, 2022)
3. "Data and Information Basics" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial, 2022)
 P a g e | 50

References

1. "Data and Information: A Guide" by James A. O'Donnell (2020)

2. "Data, Information, and Knowledge" by David J. Hand (2020)
3. "Information and Data Management" by Ian H. Witten (2020)
4. "Data, Information, and Decision Making" by John D. Kelleher (2020)
5. "Data and Information: A Hands-On Approach" by Peter Jackson (2020)
6. "Data and Information: Key Concepts" by KDnuggets (online article, 2022)
7. "Data and Information: Best Practices" by Data Science Times (online
article, 2022)
 P a g e | 51

Unit 2: Data Processing

Introduction
In the previous unit, you were introduced to Data and information.
In this unit, you will learn about electronic Data processing system, Data
processing cycle and methods of Data processing

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Discuss the Electronic Data Processing
ii. Explain the term Data Processing Cycle
iii. State the Methods of Data Processing
 P a g e | 52

Main Content

Data Processing
Data processing can be defined as any process that uses a Computer program to move
in Data summarize, analyze or else transform Data into practical information. The
process may be programmed and run on a computer. It comprises recording, analyzing,
sorting, summarizing, calculating, spreading and storing Data. Data becomes more
worthwhile only when they have experienced some Computer processing and well-
presented to allow for decision making. Data processing systems have become essential
in managing Information in current day organizations. In recent times, Data processing
systems are quite often mentioned as Information systems to highlight their rationality.
In a nutshell, both terms are more or less the same, performing similar functions; Data
processing systems normally influence raw figures into information, and likewise
Information systems usually take raw figures as input to provide useful Information as
output. In many organizations, these systems exist as payroll systems, sales and
marketing systems, finance and accounting systems, manufacturing and production
system, human resources systems, University management systems etc. Also, the term
Data processing can relate to any process of converting Data into Information and also
the transformation of Information back to Data.

Figure 26: Electronic Data Processing

Source: [Link]
Box 2.0

What is Data Processing?

Data processing can be defined as any process that uses a Computer program to
move in Data, summarize, analyze or else transform Data into practical information.

The Scope of Data Processing System

The conventional usage of the terms Data processing and Information systems limits
their use to the algorithmic derivations, logical deductions, and statistical calculations
 P a g e | 53

that persist constantly in general business environments, relatively than in the more
expansive sense of all conversions of real-world measurements into real-world
information. In actual fact, Data processing needs the use of computers, the level of
computerizations is typically not too computing intensive as may be expected in
scientific and engineering applications. Computing is a term constrained to number that
is arithmetical calculations. These include adding, multiplying, subtracting and dividing,
and exponentiation (raising numbers to specific powers) etc. The basic Data processing
operations performed on business Data include the following:
i. Data Collection
ii. Data Capture
iii. Data Recording
iv. Data Entry
v. Data Transmission
vi. Data Sorting
vii. Updating of Information
viii. Adding of Data
ix. Deletion of information
x. Data Validation
xi. Data Verification
xii. Summarizing of Data
xiii. Printing of Results
xiv. Summaries of Data for management decision
xv. Calculating Data
xvi. Sorting Data
xvii. Classifying Data
xviii. Summarizing Data
xix. Comparing Data
xx. Statistical reports
xxi. Data Mining

Data Processing Life cycle

Data processing is a significant purpose that transforms our Data into meaningful
information. As a result, difference calculations are achieved. In modern time, most of
Data processing is achieved using Computer machine to increase their usefulness and
add values for particular purpose. Data processing life cycle is the collection of steps
needed to convert into information. Mostly there are three main steps.
The complete Data life cycle is given below:
i. Input
In this step, the composed Data is given to the Computer as input for processing.
 P a g e | 54

 Verification: The Data given to Computer is confirmed in order to be sure that

Data is correct and valid for processing.
 Coding: The Data is stored in Computer in binary form. In this step Data is
transformed into binary form in order to be stored into computer.
 Storing: It is stress-free to process sorted Data. In this step the Data is sorted in
different classification so that processing becomes stress-free.

ii. Processing
In this step, the processing on Data is functional. Different calculations and formulas
are done on stored Data to get the preferred outcome in summarizing. There are times
having all the stored Data summarized form is needed. In this step, Data is processed
in summarized form. For example, managing director may request for a summary of
the activities done in the whole day.
iii. Output
The objective of Data processing is to create preferred Information from the raw
Data. In this step, the Data is shown on the needed medium e.g. monitor printer.
Steps on Output
 Retrieval: If Data is stored on storage devices like hard disk, in this step Data is
retrieved from the storage devices.
 Conversion: The Information in this step is conversion into different forms like
charts, graphs etc.
 Communication: In this step, the Information is sent to various places.
 Feedback: In this step, the remarks are taken from the users about the Data
processing system and its output. The process is very significant to develop the
Data processing system.
Thus, Data processing contains those activities apprehensive with the systematic
recording Sorting, computing, modifying, reporting displaying and printing of details
connecting to business transactions. A Data processing system can therefore be viewed
as an administrative system overlaid upon the physical business systems such as
banking, engineering, insurance etc.
The main objective of Data processing is to acquire Information which will be to
control financial and administrative aspects of the business. In addition, managers and
administrators with latest Information are able to make good decisions that will
positively affect the progress of organization.

Methods of Data Processing

The following are the three main types used for Data processing over the years:
i. Manual method
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ii. Mechanical method

iii. Computer method.

Figure 27: Methods of Data Processing

i. Manual Method
The manual method of Data processing involves the use of chalk, wall, pen pencil
and the like. These tools, machine or tools enable human efforts in recording,
organizing, operating, and presenting Data or information. The manual Data
processing processes require extensive manual efforts. Therefore, manual method is
bulky, boring, annoying and time wastage. Moreover, the processing of Data by the
manual method is likely to be affected by human errors. When there are errors, then
the reliability, accuracy, neatness, tidiness, and validity of the Data would be in
doubt. The manual method does not permit for the processing of huge volume of
Data on a consistent and timely basis.
ii. Mechanical Method
The mechanical method of Data processing encompasses the use of machines
such as typewriter, rodeo machines, adding machines and the like. The mechanical
operations are essentially routine-like in nature. There is almost no innovative
thinking. The mechanical operations are noisy, dangerous, error prone and
disorderly. The mechanical method does not permit for the processing of big
volume of Data constantly and timely.
iii. Computer Method
The Computer method of carrying out Data processing has the following key
Features:
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Figure 28: Main features of carrying out Data processing.

Box 2.1

What is Data Processing Life Cycle?

Data processing life cycle is the collection of steps needed to convert into
information. Mostly there are three main steps.

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
i. Electronic Data processing (DP) can be defined as any Computer automated
process that transforms raw facts Data into output example useful information.
Data becomes more worthwhile only when they have experienced some
Computer processing and well-presented to allow for decision making.
ii. The manual method of Data processing involves the use of chalk, wall, pen pencil
and the like. These tools, machine or tools enable human efforts in recording,
organizing, operating, and presenting Data or information.

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. How many steps are involved in Data processing life cycle?
 P a g e | 57

ii. Data processing systems have become essential in managing Information in

current day organizations. True or False

iii. ……. objective is to create preferred Information from the raw Data.

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. List the basic Data processing operations performed on business
ii. Differentiate between method and mechanical Data method.

Further Readings

1. "Data Processing Tutorial" by Tutorials Point (online tutorial, 2022)

2. "Data Processing: A Guide" by DataCamp (online tutorial, 2022)
3. "Data Processing Basics" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial, 2022)
 P a g e | 58

References

1. "Data Processing: A Guide to Data Processing" by James A. O'Donnell

(2020)
2. "Data Processing and Analysis" by David J. Hand (2020)
3. "Data Processing: Principles and Practice" by Ian H. Witten (2020)
4. "Data Processing for Data Science" by John D. Kelleher (2020)
5. "Data Processing: A Hands-On Approach" by Peter Jackson (2020)
6. "Data Processing: A Key Component of Data Science" by KDnuggets (online
article, 2022)
7. "Data Processing: Best Practices" by Data Science Times (online article,
2022)
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Unit 3: Roles of Data Processing in the Society

Introduction
In the previous unit, you learnt about electronic Data processing system, Data
processing cycle and methods of Data processing.
In this unit, you will learn about the Roles of Data Processing in the Society

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Elaborate on the Roles of Data Processing in the Society
ii. Explain the Benefits of Computer to the Society

Main Content

Roles of Data Processing in the Society.

Data processing plays a significant role in the society most especially in our businesses
and organization. This occurs as a result of processing of Data by converting all
Information and Data in a readable method. However, most organizations require a
standardized format for all the Information that they need processing can actually assist
them. With Data processing, your organization can confront the problems and
competitions among other organizations in your area of specialization because you can
focus more on the productive activities that your organization should do.
Therefore, Data processing services manage the non-core activities such as conversion
of Data, Data entry, and Data processing itself. Data processing will transform all
Information into a standard electronic format in order to assist you to decide on the
important things immediately.
Your high objectives can now be accomplished since you can now concentrate more on
making your organization very competitive.
Data processing render services which includes:
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i. Form processing
ii. Check processing
iii. Insurance claims processing
iv. Image processing
These can appear very minor to your organization but they can generate a good impact in
the market. Form processing in an organization will allow all the essential Information
to be processed faster and easier because the forms will be obtainable in a type that is
simple to understand. These forms comprise:
i. Vouchers
ii. Invoices
iii. HTML
iv. Resumes
v. Tax forms
vi. Legal and email forms.
There are many roles that you can obtain from Data processing. First, the significant
Data in your organization will be converted into a standard format that can be logical to
you and your employees. Since all the sets of Information are in standard electronic
format, you can create a backup copy that you can use in case of Data loss. These sets of
Information are confirmed to be precise so that you can make your decision correctly.

Benefits of Computer to the Society.

Even though Data processed either manually or electronically have the same standard,
the difference can still be described as follows: -
i. Accuracy of Information is improved: Computers are commonly precise, whereas
humans are disposed to error (errors in the input of Data). While there can be
software error (error in the programs) and hardware package errors (faults or
breakdown in the equipment itself), these are not often common.
ii. The Volume of Information to be processed is increased: As business grows and
becomes more difficult, their Data processing necessities increase in volume and
difficulty too. Hence, electronic Data processing is always employed to affluence
the demands on their workforce.
iii. The speed at which Information becomes available is higher: computers can
process Data much more quickly than a human. This means that a Computer can
create more timely information. The personnel are freed up for more skillful and
judgment work. Although, manual or human method of Data processing is more
suitable when human judgment is involved in the work, Computer will still make
the required Information available when needed as soon as possible.
iv. There is greater access to Information available and more people: The use of
Databases and the capacity to connect a number of users via a multi-network
 P a g e | 61

progress the distribution and spreading of Information within and outside an

organization.

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
Data processing plays a significant role in the society most especially in our businesses
and organization currently. This occurs as a result of processing of Data and converts all
Information and Data into a readable format.

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. How Data is typically distinguished from information?
ii. Data processing will change all Information into a standard……………… in
order to supports you to decide on the essential things immediately.

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Mention the benefits of commuter to society.
ii. State the services rendered by Data Processing

Further Readings

1. "The Role of Data Processing in Society" by Data Science Council of

America (online article, 2022)
2. "Data Processing: A Key Component of Modern Society" by TechRadar
(online article, 2022)
3. "How Data Processing Impacts Society" by Forbes (online article, 2022)
 P a g e | 62

References

1. "Data Processing: A Guide to Data Processing in the Society" by James A.

O'Donnell (2020)
2. "The Role of Data Processing in Modern Society" by Marshall Breeding
(2020)
3. "Data Processing and Society: A Critical Analysis" by David Lyon (2020)
4. "Data Processing: A Key to Unlocking Economic Growth" by World Bank
(2020)
5. "Data Processing and Social Change" by Manuel Castells (2020)
6. "The Impact of Data Processing on Business and Society" by Harvard
Business Review (online article, 2022)
7. "Data Processing and Its Role in Shaping Society" by The Guardian (online
article, 2022)
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Learning Section 3:

Parts of a Computer System

Units
Unit 1: Computer Hardware

Unit 2: Computer Software

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Unit 1: Computer Hardware

Introduction
Computer hardware is known as the physical features of a computer, namely
Keyboard, Monitor, Mouse, and Printer, including the digital circuitry. Computer
hardware is an essential part inserted in all present day vehicles, airplanes, mobile
phones, compact disc players and other devices.
In this study session, you will learn about hardware devices, central
processing unit, input and output devices, and primary and secondary
storage devices.

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Describe Computer Devices
ii. Discuss the functions of Central Processing Unit
iii. Explain Primary and Secondary Storage devices
iv. Describe Input and Output Devices
 P a g e | 65

Main Content

Computer Devices
Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements that constitute a Computer
System . It is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as the monitor,
mouse, keyboard, Computer Data storage, hard disk drive (HDD), system unit (graphic
cards, sound cards, memory, motherboard and chips), and so on, all of which are
physical objects that can be touched (that is, they are tangible).
A Computer consists of several interconnected devices or components. They are five
basic components namely, Central Processing Unit, Primary Storage, Secondary Storage,
Input Devices and Output Devices. This physical equipment that makes up a Computer
is called hardware.

Figure 29: Components of a computer

Source: [Link]
Secondary storage, input and output devices are often called peripheral equipment. The
CPU and primary storage contain electronic circuits that store and process Data or
program instruction. The circuits are formed from place of silicon which is non-metal
element. A piece of silicon containing electronic circuits is called an integrated circuit or
a chip.
The Computer chips for the CPU are called processor chips. In microcomputer, the
entire CPU contains only one-processor chips and is called microprocessor. In
minicomputer, mainframe Computer or super computer, the CPU may require several
processor chips. Primary storage is composed of many chips for example; a
microComputer may have more than sixteen chips. Each chip is called memory chip
 P a g e | 66

and is capable of storing certain amount of Data. The amount of Data depends on
different types of chips.
All the memory chips are made up of primary storage (RAM). In microcomputers, the
microprocessor and the memory chips are mounted on one board, called the
Motherboard or mainboard. The chips in the CPU and primary storage are connected by
a set of wires called a bus. Data is sent back and forth between components over the bus.

Figure 30: A Computer Chip

Source: [Link]
There are some other chips that are needed to control input/output devices and secondary
storage.
Some of these chips are built-in Mainboard or are in a separate board. They are called
add-on-boards or cards, and are plugged into sockets on the mainboard. These sockets
which are called expansion slots are connected to the other components by the bus.
The combination of all these chips on or outside motherboard form Computer devices.
They are enclosed in a Computer casing. Other devices such as output devices
(Monitor, Printer), Input device (keyboard, Mouse), speakers are plugged into
Computer devices to form personal Computer System . Note in MicroComputer or
stand-alone computer, CPU may be regarded as microprocessor. Primary storage may be
regarded as Random Access Memory. Secondary Storage may be regarded as Hard disk,
Floppy disk or Compact disk.
 P a g e | 67

Box 1.0

What is Computer Hardware?

Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements that constitutes a
Computer System . It is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as the
monitor, mouse, keyboard, Computer Data storage, hard disk drive (HDD), system
unit, and so on, all of which are physical objects that can be touched.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

A central processing unit (CPU) is the electronic circuitry within a Computer that
carries out the instructions of a Computer program by performing the basic arithmetic,
logical, control and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions.
The Central Processing Units are also called Processor and also known as the brain or
heart of the Computer System . The CPU carries out the calculations for the program
and controls the other components of the system. It does the function by organizing
circuits into two main units, called Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) and Control Unit.

Figure 31: The central Processing Units

Source: [Link]

The ALU contains circuits that perform arithmetic and logical operations. The control
unit contains circuits that analyzed and execute instructions.

i. The Arithmetic Logic Unit

The ALU contains arithmetic circuits that can subtract multiply and divide two
numbers. More complex operations such as finding the square root of a number are
done by sequence of their basic operations. The ALU has logic circuits that can
compare two numbers to determine if they are equal or if one number is greater than
storage locations called storage registers for storing numbers used in calculations and
 P a g e | 68

for storing the results of calculations. To perform a calculation or logical operation,

number is transferred from primary storage to storage registers in the ALU.
These numbers are sent to the appropriate arithmetic or logic circuit. The results are
sent back to the storage registers. The results are transferred from the storage registers
to primary storage.

ii. The Control Unit

The Control Unit controls the whole Computer System by performing the
following functions:
 Directs and coordinates all operation called for by the program
 Activates the appropriate circuits necessary for inputs and output devices.
 Causes the entire Computer System to operate in an automatic manner.
The control unit contains a temporary storage location called an instruction register
for storing the instruction being executed. It also contains circuits called the
instruction decoder – which analyze the instruction register and cause it to be
executed.
The control unit executes each instruction by following the same basic sequence of
steps:
 The next instruction in the program is retrieved for primary storage and stored in
the instruction register
 The instruction is sent to the instruction decoder where it is analyzed.
 The decoder sends signals to the ALU, primary storage, I/O devices, and
secondary storage that cause the actions required by the instructions to be
performed.
These steps are repeated for each instruction in the program until all instructions have
been executed.

Box 1.1

What is Central Processing Unit?

A central processing unit (CPU) is the electronic circuitry within a Computer
that carries out the instructions of a Computer program by performing the basic
arithmetic, logical, control and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the
instructions.

Primary Storage
Primary storage is also called internal storage or memory. It is used to store programs
and Data currently being processed by CPU. Primary storage circuits need electricity to
stay on. If the power button of the Computer is turned off, all the circuits will turn off
and all Data in primary storage will be lost. When the Computer is again powered on,
the Data will not reappear. The Data is lost forever.
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Because of this characteristic, primary storage is called volatile storage. This type of
primary storage is called Random Access Memory (RAM). RAM is the main type of
primary storage used with computers and it is volatile.
Figure 32: Random Access Memory
Source: [Link]

Read Only Memory (ROM): Many computers have another type of primary storage
called Read Only Memory. ROM is however non-volatile storage. This means that when
the power to the Computer is turned off, the content of the ROM is not lost. ROM can
store preset programs that are always put by Computer manufactures.
When you turn on a PC, you will usually see a Referencess on BIOS (Basic Input-output
System). This is part of the ROM chip containing all the programs needed to control the
keyboard, monitor, disk drive and so on.
What is the non-volatile primary storage called?
There are different types of ROM, including PROM EPROM and EEPROM.
i. PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory): In this type of ROM, Data or
program can be stored once in PROM but never changed.
ii. EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory): In this type of ROM,
Data or program can be erased by removing the device and exposing it to
ultraviolet light.
iii. EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory): Data or
program can be completely erased using a special device and new programs or
new Data can be stored in it.

The Use of Primary Storage (RAM)

Main Memory has several uses, these include:
i. Input area: where the Data is stored when it is read into CPU, awaiting
processing.
ii. Operating system: controls the operation of the computer.
iii. Working storage: where calculations are performed and Data is stored
temporarily.
iv. Output area: where the Information is stored prior to output. Both the input and
output areas are buffer.
v. Application program area: where the user program is held.
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Table 1.0: Difference between ROM and RAM

S/N Read Only Memory (ROM) Random Access Memory (RAM)

1. ROM is nonvolatile RAM is volatile ROM is nonvolatile RAM is
volatile
2. ROM is cheaper than RAM RAM is very expensive
3. The contents of ROM are always The contents are not known
known and can be verified
4. ROM cannot be updated or RAM can be updated and
corrected corrected
5. ROM serves as permanent Data RAM can serve as temporary
storage Data
storage

Secondary Storage
Secondary Storage is an optional attachment, which uses cable to connect to the CPU. It
is nonvolatile. Any Data or programs stored in secondary storage stays there, even with
the Computer power turned off, unless someone purposely erases them. Secondary
storage is a permanent form of storage.

Table 1.1: Difference between Primary and Secondary Storage devices

S/N Primary Storage Secondary Storage

1. Primary storage/memory is also Secondary storage or memory is also
called Internal or main storage. called External or auxiliary storage.
2. High speed Low speed
3. It is very expensive It is not expensive as primary storage
4. It holds Data or programs It holds Data or programs
temporarily permanently
5. It holds programs and Data in It holds program or Data that will still
current use in CPU be used in primary storage

6. It is faster than secondary It is not fast as primary

7. It holds less Data It holds large volume of Data or files

i. Hard Disks
Computer System s have internal hard disk, but they may use external disks also.
External disks sit alongside the Computer in an extra 'box' with its own power
supplies and plug socket. An average PC may have 20Gb. The standard size has
increased dramatically over recent years as ever more.
 P a g e | 71

Figure 33: Internal Hard Disk

Source: [Link]

IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) and Extended IDE (EIDE) are hard disk
technologies common on PC's. More powerful and flexible are SCSI (Small
Computer System Interface, pronounced 'SCUZZY') and 'firewire' (1394). The
difference between these systems lies in the way that Data is transmitted between the
hard disk and the processor.

Figure 34: External Hard Disk

Source: [Link]

ii. Floppy Disks

A floppy disk, also called a diskette, is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of
thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier
lined with fabric that removes dust particles. Floppy disks are read and written by a
floppy disk drive (FDD). A 'floppy' disk can be 3.5" in diameter or 5.25". A 3.5" disk
can hold up to 1.44Mb of Data. While floppy disk drives still have some limited uses,
especially with legacy industrial Computer equipment, they have been superseded
by Data storage methods with much greater capacity, such as USB flash drives,
portable external hard disk drives, optical discs and memory cards. As at 2010,
Computer motherboards were rarely manufactured with floppy drive support.
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Figure 35: Floppy Disk

Source: [Link]

iii. CD -ROM (Optical Disk).

It uses similar technology to the based laser compact disc audio system for Data
storage. The latest PCs are now automatically with a CD-ROM drive and some
software packages are now only available on CD-ROM. CD-ROM stands for
Compact Disc Read-Only Memory. This means that Data is implanted onto the disc
when it is made, and subsequent users can only retrieve information, they cannot alter
or overwrite or delete what is already on the disk.

Figure 36: CD -ROM

Source: [Link]

The speed of CD-ROM drive is relevant to how Data can be retrieved; an eight speed
drive is quicker than four speed drive. CD recorders are now available for general
business use with blank CDs (CD-R). A CD-R can hold up to 650Mb. Once made,
CD-ROMs are not reusable in the way that floppy disk are. However, a reusable disk
(CD-RW) has recently become available.

Input Devices

Input Devices
These accept input Data/programs for processing converting if necessary into a form
which the Computer can understand and operate on. Input is a labor intensive
 P a g e | 73

process, typically involving the keying in of Data using a keyboard. In many cases,
the process of inputting Data by keyboard so that it can be converted into the
electronic pulses on which the Computer circuitry operates is avoided by a process
of Data capture, where Data is recorded in such a way as to be directly convertible
into a machine sensible form without any human intervention. In many situations,
Data capture or transcription occurs far away from the main Computer and Data
has to be transmitted to where it is to be processed. Examples of Input device include
Keyboard, Mouse, Trackball, Document Reading Devices, Scanner etc.
The keyboard and mouse are the most widely used input devices at the moment. The
QWERTY keyboard, so called because the keys 'q','w','e','r','t' and 'y' are adjacent, is
the commonest form of keyboard. But other types of keyboard are available, some
being specially designed for people with special needs. It should be noted that the
layout of keys on the QWERTY keyboard owes its origins to typewriter designers
who were actually trying to slow down the speed at which a typist could type. The
reason was that the old lever-based typewriters were liable to levers getting
interlocked if two keys were pressed in rapid succession.

Figure 37: Keyboard

Source: [Link]

The mouse is used as a pointing device and to select options from menus. A tracker
ball is used for the same purposes as a mouse and it is popular on laptop computers.
Another input device is called a light pen which can be used to point at a monitor,
serving a similar function to a mouse. A touch sensitive screen is a method of input
based on touching a specially designed screen in particular places. It is typically used
in an application such as tourist Information system, where Information can be
obtained by touching menu options displayed on the screen.
Barcode scanners are very popular input devices in supermarkets and stores. These
devices scan barcodes which identify products. Image scanners are devices which
scan an image (document, photograph) and produce a digital version of the image i.e.
the image is stored as a sequence of binary numbers. Special software can then
display the digital version of the image on a monitor.
 P a g e | 74

Figure 38: Mouse

Source: [Link]

Output Devices
These accept output from the Data processing device and convert it into a form suitable
for use by the computer's human operators. The commonest methods of Computer
output are printers and screen display although it is also possible to output onto
microfilm or fiche and onto transparencies for overhead projection. Many home
computers also produce sound output through speakers.
Examples are:
i. Printers
ii. The VDU - Visual Display Unit
Monitors are the commonest output device for a Computer System . They range from
the lowly dumb terminal screen to the high quality bit-mapped colour screen of
workstations. A basic monitor displays up to 24 lines of 80 columns of standard
characters. Advanced monitors range from monochrome to full colour and are bit-
mapped which means that each point (usually called pixel which stands for picture
element) on the screen corresponds to at least one bit in memory.
Printers are the commonest hardcopy output device. They range from cheap low quality
dot-matrix to high speed, high quality laser printers with a variety of intermediate quality
devices available.
 P a g e | 75

Figure 39: Output Devices

Source: [Link]

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
i. There are five basic components namely, Central Processing Unit, Primary
Storage, Secondary Storage, Input Devices and Output Devices
ii. The Central Processing Units are also called Processor. This is the brain or heart
of the Computer System .
iii. It does the function by organizing circuits into two main units, called Arithmetic
Logic Unit (ALU) and Control Unit
iv. Primary storage is also called internal storage or memory. It is used to store
programs and Data currently being processed by CPU.
v. Secondary Storage is an optional attachment, which uses cable to connect to the
CPU. Secondary is nonvolatile
vi. Input Devices accept input Data/programs for processing converting if necessary
into a form which the Computer can understand and operate on.
vii. Output Devices accept output from the Data processing device and convert it into
a form suitable for use by the computer's human operators

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. Highlight the five basic Computer devices as discussed in this study
ii. Central Processing Units can be subdivided into two, name them
iii. Write short notes on Keyboard
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iv. State difference between Primary and Secondary Storage devices

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Describe the three forms of ROM
ii. Write short notes on hard disks
iii. Describe the functions of Control Unit
iv. State the difference between ROM and RAM
v. Highlight any five basic Computer devices

Further Readings

1. "Computer Hardware Tutorial" by Tutorials Point (online tutorial, 2022)

2. "What is Computer Hardware?" by TechRadar (online article, 2022)
3. "Computer Hardware Basics" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial, 2022)
 P a g e | 77

References

1. "Computer Hardware: A Comprehensive Guide" by James A. O'Donnell

(2020)
2. "Hardware: A Guide to Computer Hardware" by Marshall Breeding (2020)
3. "Computer Organization and Design" by David A. Patterson and John L.
Hennessy (6th edition, 2020)
4. "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach" by John L. Hennessy
and David A. Patterson (6th edition, 2020)
5. "Digital Design" by M. Morris Mano and Michael D. Ciletti (6th edition,
2020)
6. "Computer Hardware Components" by Computer Hope (online article,
2022)
7. "Computer Hardware" by Coursera (online course, 2022)
8. "Computer Architecture" by edX (online course, 2022)
9. "Computer Hardware and Networking" by Udemy (online course, 2022)
10. Computer Hardware Engineering" by MIT OpenCourseWare (online
course, 2022)
11. "Computer Architecture and Organization" by Harvard University
(online course, 2022)
12. "How to Assemble a Computer" by iFixit (online guide, 2022)
 P a g e | 78

Unit 2: Computer Software

Introduction
Software is a general term for structured assemblages of Computer Data and
instructions, often broken into two major categories: system software that generates
the elementary non-task-specific functions of the computer, and application
software which is used by operators to achieve particular responsibilities. The
usefulness of the Computer depends on the programs that are written to
manipulate it. In this Unit, you will learn about Computer software,
history of Computer software, system software (operating system and
types), and utility software.

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Discuss Computer software and its importance.
ii. Explain system software and its types.
iii. Discuss Application software and its various types.
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Main Content

Computer Software
The Computer hardware is driven by the software. The usefulness of the Computer
depends on the programs that are written to manipulate it. Computer software comes in
different forms: the operating system, utility software, language translators and
application software.
The set of instructions that enable a Computer to perform specific tasks is generically
called a program or software. These instructions tell the machine‘s hardware
components what to do; without a program, a Computer could not do anything at all.
When a Computer uses a particular program, it is said to be running or executing that
program. The physical components of the Computer are called the hardware while all
the other resources or parts of the Computer that are not hardware, are referred to as the
Software.

Software is the set of programs that makes the Computer System active. In essence,
the software is the programs that run on the computer.

A Program is a series of coded instructions showing the logical steps the Computer
follows to solve a given problem.

Most programs that run on a Computer are not built directly into the Computer
System . This allows different users to customize their Computer to ideally suit their
needs. To make software available to the computer, it is installed, which means that the
program is written into the computer‘s permanent storage.
For all but the simplest of programs, installation also usually includes adding References
to the new program into the computer‘s operating system, so that the operating system
will know where to find the program, and how to start it. Installation may also include
many other tasks, such as the creation and placement of Data files for the program to
use, establishing connections to devices such as printers for the new software to use, and
updating software modules in other programs that are required by the new software.
With few exceptions, the installation of software for consumer devices such as PCs and
smart phones is automatic, requiring little else from the user than permission to perform
the installation. The Computer software could be divided into two major groups namely
System Software and Application Software.
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Figure 40: Categories of Computer Software

Source: [Link]

Box 2.0

What is Computer Software?

Computer software is the set of programs that makes the Computer System
active. It is the set of instructions that enable a Computer to perform specific tasks. In
essence, the software is the programs that run on the computer.

System Software
This is referred to the suits of programs that facilitates the optimal use of the hardware
systems and/or provide a suitable environment for the writing, editing, debugging,
testing and running of User Programs or simply put; system software is any program that
controls the computer‘s hardware or can be used to maintain the Computer in some
way so it runs more efficiently. Usually, every Computer System comes with
collection of these suits of programs which are provided by the Hardware Manufacturer.

Utility Software
A utility is a program that makes the Computer System easier to use or performs
highly specialized functions. Utilities are used to manage disks, troubleshoot hardware
problems and perform other tasks that the operating system itself may not be able to do.
Utility software is a set of commonly used programs in Data processing departments
also called service or general-purpose programs. They perform the following operations:
i. File Conversion: This covers Data transfer from any medium to another, making
an exact copy or simultaneously editing and validating. For example, copying
documents from a hard disk to a diskette.
ii. File Copy: It makes an exact copy of a file from one medium to another or from an
area of a medium to another area of the same medium.
iii. Housekeeping Operations: These include programs to clear areas of storage,
writing file labels and updating common Data.
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They are not involved in solving the problem at hand. They are operations that must be
performed before and after actual processing.

Operating System
An operating system is a program that acts as an interface between a user of a Computer
and the Computer hardware. The purpose of an operating system is to provide an
environment in which a user may execute programs.
The operating system is the first component of the systems programs that interests us
here. Systems programs are programs written for direct execution on Computer
hardware in order to make the power of the Computer fully and efficiently accessible to
applications programmers and other Computer users. Systems programming is different
from application programming because the programmer requires an intimate knowledge
of the Computer hardware as well as the end users‘ needs.
Moreover, systems programs are often large and more complex than application
programs, although that is not always the case. Since systems programs provide the
foundation upon which application programs are built, it is most important that systems
programs are reliable, efficient and correct. In a Computer System the hardware
provides the basic computing resources. The applications programs define the way in
which these resources are used to solve the computing problems of the users. The
operating system controls and coordinates the use of the hardware among the various
systems programs and application programs for the various users. The basic resources of
a Computer System are provided by its hardware, software and Data. The operating
system provides the means for the proper use of these resources in the operation of the
Computer System . It simply provides an environment within which other programs
can do useful work.
You can view an operating system as a resource allocator. A Computer System has
many resources (hardware and software) that may be required to solve a problem: CPU
time, memory space, files storage space, input/output devices etc. The operating system
acts as the manager of these resources and allocates them to specific programs and users
as necessary for their tasks. Since there may be many, possibly conflicting, requests for
resources, the operating system must decide which requests are allocated resources to
operate the Computer System fairly and efficiently. An operating system is a control
program. This program controls the execution of user programs to prevent errors and
improper use of the computer.
Operating systems exist because they are a reasonable way to solve the problem of
creating a usable computing system. The fundamental goal of a Computer System is to
execute user programs and solve user problems. The primary goal of an operating system
is a convenience for the user. Operating systems exit because they are supposed to make
it easier to compute with an operating system than without an operating system. This is
particularly clear when you look at operating system for small personal computers.
A secondary goal is the efficient operation of a Computer System . This goal is
particularly important for large, shared multi-user systems. Operating systems can solve
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this goal. It is known that sometimes these two goals, convenience and efficiency, are
contradictory.
A computer‘s Operating System (OS) is a group of programs designed to serve two basic
purposes:
i. To control the allocation and use of the computing system‘s resources among the
various users and tasks, and.
ii. To provide an interface between the Computer hardware and the programmer
that simplifies and makes feasible the creation, coding, debugging, and
maintenance of application programs.
Specifically, we can imagine that an effective operating system should accomplish all of
the following:
 Facilitate creation and modification of program and Data files through an editor
program.
 Provide access to compilers to translate programs from high-level languages to
machine language.
 Provide a loader program to move the complied program code to the computer‘s
memory for execution.
 Provide routines that handle the intricate details of I/O programming.
 Assure that when there are several active processes in the computer, each will get
fair and noninterfering access to the central processing unit for execution.
 Take care of storage and device allocation.
 Provide for long term storage of user Information in the form of files
 Permit system resources to be shared among users when appropriate, and be
protected from unauthorized or mischievous intervention as necessary.
Modern Computer operating systems may be classified into three groups, which are
distinguished by the nature of interaction that takes place between the Computer user
and his or her program during its processing. The three groups are called batch, time-
shared and real time operating systems.

Figure 41: Classification of Operating System

Source: www. [Link]
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i. Batch processing operating system

In a batch processing operating system environment, users submit jobs to a central
place where these jobs are collected into a batch, and subsequently placed on an input
queue at the Computer where they will be run. In this case, the user has no
interaction with the job during its processing, and the computer‘s response time is the
turnaround time-the time from submission of the job until execution is complete, and
the results are ready for return to the person who submitted the job.

ii. Time sharing operating system

Another mode for delivering computing services is provided by time sharing
operating systems. In this environment, a Computer provides computing services to
several or many users concurrently on-line. Here, the various users are sharing the
central processor, the memory, and other resources of the Computer System in a
manner facilitated, controlled, and monitored by the operating system. The user, in
this environment, has nearly full interaction with the program during its execution,
and the computer‘s response time may be expected to be no more than a few second.

iii. Real time operating system

The real time operating systems are designed to service those applications where
response time is of the essence in order to prevent error, misrepresentation or even
disaster. Examples of real time operating systems are those which handle airlines
reservations, machine tool control, and monitoring of a nuclear power station. The
systems, in this case, are designed to be interrupted by external signal that requires
the immediate attention of the Computer System .

Application software
Application software is a set of programs designed to solve problems of a specific
nature. It could either be supplied by the Computer manufacturer or in some cases; the
users produce their own application program called User Programs. Hence, application
software could be subdivided into two classes, namely; Generalized and User-defined
Software.
Figure 5.3: Classifications of Application Software
 Under the Generalized software, examples are:
 Word Processing Programs e.g. Word Perfect, Word Star, Microsoft word.
 Desktop Publishing e.g. Ventura, PageMaker, CorelDraw likewise the
 Spreadsheet program e.g. LOTUS 1,2,3, Excel, Super-Q
Under the User-defined, we could have some user-defined packages for a particular
company or organization, for accounting, payroll or some other specialized purposes.
i. Word Processor: A Word Processor is used to create, edit, save and print reports.
It affords the opportunity to make amendments before printing is done. During
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editing character, word sentence or a number of lines can be removed or inserted

as the case may be. Another facility possible is spell checking. A document can be
printed as many times as possible. Word processors are mainly used to produce:
Letters, Mailing lists, Label, Greeting Cards, Business Cards, Reports, Manual,
Newsletter. Examples are: WordPerfect, WordStar, Display Writer, Professional
Writer, LOTUS Manuscript, Ms-Word, LOCO Script, MM Advantage II etc.
ii. Spreadsheet: It is an application mainly designed for numerical figures and
reports. Spreadsheets contain columns and rows, in which numbers can be entered.
It is possible to change numbers before printing is done. Other features of spread
sheets is the ability to use formulas to calculate, use sum and average function,
ability to perform automatic recalculation and also it has the capacity to display
reports in graphical modes. Spreadsheet is used for Budget, Tables, Cost analysis,
Financial reports. Tax and Statistical analysis. Examples are: LOTUS 123,
Supercalc, MS Multiplan, MS-excel, VP Planner etc.
iii. Integrated Packages: They are programs or packages that perform a variety of
different processing operations using Data that is compatible with whatever
operation is being carried out. They perform a number of operations like Word
Processing, Data-base Management and Spread sheeting. Examples are: Office
writer, Logistic Symphony, Framework, Enable, Ability, Smart ware II, Microsoft
Work V2.
iv. Graphic Packages: These are packages that enable you to bring out images,
diagrams and pictures. Examples are PM, PM Plus, Graphic Writer, Photoshop.
v. Database Packages: It is software for designing, setting up and subsequently
managing a Database. (A Database is an organized collection of Data that allows
for modification taking care of different users view). Examples are Dbase II, III,
IV, FoxBASE, Rbase Data Perfect, Paradox III, Revelation Advanced and MS
Access.
vi. Statistical Packages: These are packages that can be used to solve statistical
problems, e.g. Stat graphical, SPSS (Statistical Packages for Social Scientists).
vii. Desktop Publishing: These are packages that can be used to produce books and
documents in standard form. Examples are PageMaker, Ventura, Publishers,
Paints Brush, Xerox Form Base, News Master II, Dbase Publisher.
viii. Game Packages: These are packages that contain a lot of games for children and
adults. Examples are Chess, Scrabble, Monopoly, Tune Trivia, Star Trek 2,
California Game, Soccer Game, War Game, Spy Catcher Dracula in London.
ix. Communication Packages: Examples are Carbon Plus, Data talk V3.3, Cross talk,
SAGE Chit Chat, Data Soft.
There are so many packages around, virtually for every field of study but these are just to
mention a few of them. Advantages of these packages include quick and cheaper
implementation, time saving, minimum time for its design, they have been tested and
proven to be correct, they are usually accompanied by full documentation and are also
very portable.
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Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
i. The set of instructions that enable a Computer to perform specific tasks is
generically called a program or software. These instructions tell the machine‘s
hardware components what to do; without a program, a Computer could not do
anything at all.
ii. System software refers to the suits of programs that facilitates the optimal use of
the hardware systems and/or provide a suitable environment for the writing,
editing, debugging, testing and running of User Programs
iii. A utility is a program that makes the Computer System easier to use or
performs highly specialized functions.
iv. An operating system is a program that acts as an interface between a user of a
Computer and the Computer hardware. The purpose of an operating system is
to provide an environment in which a user may execute programs.
v. Application software is a set of programs designed to solve problems of a specific
nature. It could either be supplied by the Computer manufacturer or in some
cases; the users produce their own application program called User Programs.

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. What is the difference between hardware and software?
ii. What is utility software?
iii. The basic resources of a Computer System are provided by its …………..,
………. and ………
iv. Why is an operating system called a control program?

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Write short notes on the following
 Computer Software
 System software
 Utility software
 Operating system
 Application software
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Further Readings

1. "Computer Software Engineering" by Coursera (online course, 2022)

2. "Software Development" by edX (online course, 2022)
3. "Computer Software Applications" by Udemy (online course, 2022)
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References

1. "Computer Software: A Comprehensive Guide" by James A. O'Donnell

(2020)
2. "Software: A Guide to Computer Software" by Marshall Breeding (2020)
3. "Computer Software Engineering" by Ian Sommerville (10th edition, 2020)
4. Computer Software Tutorial" by Tutorials Point (online tutorial, 2022)
5. "What is Computer Software?" by TechRadar (online article, 2022)
6. "Computer Software Basics" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial, 2022)
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Learning Section 4:

Computer Application

Units
Unit 1: Application Areas of Computers

Unit 2: Internet Technology

Unit 3: Electronic Mail

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Unit 1: Application Areas of Computers

Introduction
In the early days of computing, computers were originally meant to assist in
scientific and engineering applications. Today, computers are widely used to
perform wide ranging tasks from routine accounting operations to management
decision making. Corporate operations are becoming more complex and
competitive thus increasing the need to produce and process more accurate
and timely Data both in quantity and quality.
In this study session, you will learn about Computer application in
education, business and industry, science and engineering.

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Discuss Computer application in education
ii. Explain Computer applications in business and industry
iii. Discuss Computer applications in science and engineering
iv. Enumerate Computer applications in health, marketing, agriculture and law
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Main Content

Application of Computers in Education

Computer has become a universal tool of any modern man (or woman). Literacy today
is not defined only in terms of the ability to read and/or write but also, it includes the
ability to use and communicate with the aid of computer. In the education sector,
computers are being used to promote teaching and learning. The field of education
provides the most fascinating application of computing system. This has consequently
attracted considerable attention from educationist and policy makers since the late 1960s,
when computers were introduced into the classroom. The entry of the Computer into
the classroom has now offered opportunities and possibilities for students to develop
their potentials with computer-aided instruction packages.

Figure 42: Students using Computer to learn

Source: [Link]

A considerable number of fascinating and entertaining educational Computer software

packages are now available in almost every subject. These self-tutor instruction packages
are well designed to enable the user to learn on his/her own time, speed and convenience.
The role of the teacher here is that of a guide so that the student can think more logically
and can gain meaningful experience in such structured situations, role playing and other
well programmed exercise so that the student can have a better understanding of the
interrelationships of variables to real life situations. Apart from the use of Computer as
an instructional aid, it is also used in the execution of routine and administrative tasks
such as the keeping of academic and administrative records on admissions,
examinations, staffing and other routine functions. The Computer has also
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revolutionized the services rendered by libraries to readers. A Computer based on-line

public access catalogue system manages a search for materials using indices such as
author‘s name, book title, subject and class-mark. Readers using public terminals can go
through a menu-driven programme to find specific books or periodicals, recall books on
loans and also make requisition for short loan items. Furthermore, optical character
reading devices are used to scan the bar codes on readers‘ library cards to offer a
Computer based issuing of books to readers. A Computer based security system is
used to maintain security services in libraries as well. In educational institutions such as
nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, polytechnics, colleges of education
and universities, Computer can be used for the following:
i. Computer aided self-tutored application packages.
ii. Computer instructional aids e.g. digital projectors.
iii. Microsoft PowerPoint application software for preparing slide shows, speeches,
seminars, workshop, lectures etc.
iv. Computer simulated graded exercises, group work.
v. Computer-aided laboratory experiments and investigations.
vi. Computer-aided software packages for special students e.g. the
mentally/physically disable (the blinds, deaf [Link]), adults, KGs, teenagers etc.
vii. Distant learning programs e.g. sandwich programs, through the Virtual Library
Technology.
viii. Teleconferencing technology.
ix. Placing and sourcing of educational materials/resources e.g. papers, journals,
newsletters, magazines, textbooks, films, on the internet.
x. Computerization of Library Services to make cataloguing indexing, retrieval,
borrowing, return and other library services easier and faster.
xi. Keeping the records of students, teachers and teaching facilities.
xii. Estimating the teachers-student ratio with a view to assessing the adequacy of
teaching and learning.
xiii. Estimating the ratio of students to teachers and teachers to teaching facilities with
a view to assessing the adequacy of teaching and learning.
xiv. Timely generation of students‘ examination results.
xv. Automatic generation of lecture and examination time tables.
xvi. Aiding students to learn basic theoretical concepts. There are currently, some
Computer aided learning software packages and hardware devices that are
readily available in the market.

Computer Applications in Business and Industry

The following are the areas of application of Computer technology in business:
i. Payroll.
ii. Inventory Control.
iii. Auditing Operations.
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iv. Personnel Record Keeping.

v. Preparation of Customer Utility Bills and Payment Orders.
vi. Management Information System.
vii. High Quality Production Controls.
viii. Point of Sale Service.
ix. Financial Market Transactions.
x. Publishing Industry.

Figure 43: Application of Computer in a business organization

Source: [Link]

Payroll
Payroll preparation is basically a repetitive and a predictable task which has to be done
occasionally for every single worker in an organization at specific points in time weekly,
fortnightly or monthly. Payroll preparation is a work plan which demands speed,
accuracy, carefulness and honesty. It contains making References to a number of source
documents which by their nature also involve constant and periodic notifying. These
qualities clearly provide themselves to the use of computers which have the competences
to meet the challenging demands in payroll preparation. These contain the competence of
the Computer to:
i. Handle the massive amount of Information necessary in payroll preparation.
ii. Store Information and provide the Information available as at when it is
required.
iii. Handle uninteresting recurrent tasks and check on its own work as a way of
controlling human errors.
iv. Create a much better and dependable technique for the essential security checks to
monitor and detect fraud and other misconducts.
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Computer application in payroll preparation contains a number of procedures which

comprise the following:
Procedures in payroll preparation
i. Bring up-to-date the personal records of personnel whenever new appointments,
resignations, terminations, dismissals and other changes are made within a period
of time.
ii. Computing wages and salaries for each individual workers based on regular and
overtime hours worked.
iii. Making deductions for income tax and for other payments such as union dues and
repayment of loans.
iv. Preparation of pay advice slips and cheques to employees and banks.
v. Updating the master payroll file centered on the records received from the
personnel department.
vi. Preparation of summary report and analysis for management.

Inventory Control
A similarly significant business application of the Computer is observed in the
performance of the vital business function involved in keeping a necessary level of
inventory in a business organization.

Auditing Operations
The Computer served as a device used by auditors to report correctly on the business
register which establishes the most essential aspect in the audit trail. With the support of
the computer, it is easier for auditors, in their inspection of the accounting records of a
business, to trace routine business operations so that alterations can be noticed and
confirmed precisely using numerous Computer audit packages.
Personnel Record Keeping
One of the key functions of the personnel department is to uphold and frequently bring
up-to-date a master file and other records in the personnel department in an organization.
The Computer enables the real keeping of a full and up to-date record of every single
worker by creating a comprehensive Database involving names, addresses, ages,
qualifications, marital status, salaries, dates of promotion and so on. By keeping such an
up-to-date record, a stable flow of several reports can be arranged at the suitable time to
create the essential Data to support management decision making in areas such as
appointments, promotions, awards of incremental credits, leave periods, staff training,
staff development and so on. Besides, management can offer the needed accurate and up-
to-date reports on a timely and continual basis to aid payroll preparation and also to
satisfy other needed Data requirements from Data users such as governments, trade
unions, banks, credit unions and tax collectors.
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Preparation of Customers Utility Bills

The routine and periodic preparation of customer‘s utility bills principally those centered
on meter readings for such utility services as water, electricity, telephone, gas, demands
accuracy and speed in which the Computer has shown very active and well-organized.
With the help of the computer, precise and up-to-date customer‘s bills can be sent to
them occasionally and in good time to allow settlement to be made. Computers can be
used to make warnings of defaulters. Also, it enables the Computer to be used to
calculate dividend, pension and other periodic payments as at when they become due.
High Quality Production Controls
One more significant application of the Computer which has proved very valuable in
the world of business is the nursing of production processes so that extraordinary quality
products and services are delivered to customers. Computer Aided Designs (CAD)
tools are used in the plan of products while Computer monitored quality control
procedures are used in production process to identify items that fail to meet the
appropriate quality standards and specifications. Such programmed devices are used in
car assembly plants, oil plants, and business of drugs and so on. Computer aided
quality control devices are also used to monitor weight, size, quantity, contents and other
standard specifications in the course of a manufacturing process.
Point of Sale Services
Point of sale in supermarkets and departmental stores are now extremely computerized to
notice the prices of items. Magnetic Character Readers are used to scan Universal
Product Codes on substances to generate fast, efficient and acceptable services to
customers in commercial transaction in retail outlets, departmental stores, libraries and
other point of sale service.
Publishing industry
In the publishing industry, Computer is used in the following methods:
The usage of Computer in publishing industry:
i. Innovative writing
ii. Typesetting document
iii. Drawing pictures.
iv. Creating the table of contents and the index of a book repeatedly.
v. Making the page size of a book and cut and paste diagrams automatically.
vi. Handling images such as the scanning of pictures and recording them
automatically in the Computer store for future recovery or printing.
vii. Confirmation and validation of spellings.
viii. Support the writer of an article to recognize the words that have related meaning.
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Computer Application in Science and Engineering

Computer is commonly used to find the accurate solutions to both scientific and
engineering problems. Weather forecasting has now become a daily activity to which the
Computer has proved very useful in providing Information on the kind of weather we
are likely to expect over a period of time. Such accurate predictions help the farmers,
airline operators, navigators and other activities which depend on the weather for their
operations. Computer aided critical path study is used to monitor the optimum and
efficient use to time, money, material and human resource in the execution and
implementation of projects. Such critical path study is used successfully on various
projects, for example, the construction of roads, bridges, buildings, manufacturing, the
conduct of election and sales campaigns. Another scientific application of the Computer
is the monitoring, simulation modeling techniques to provide indicators as to how
systems such as the human body, economy, weather, demographic variables and so on
react to changes in situations. The application of simulation techniques helps in taking
decision and precautions in advance should in case such repercussions happen when the
desired changes are introduced in practical situations. Computers are also to design
buildings, roads, bridges, vehicles, aero planes, ships and complex architectural, ships
and complex works and so on. Prototyping is increasingly being used to minimize the
financial commitment to the real life construction of these systems. The Computer is
used to find solution to very complex mathematical and statistical computations at
incredible speed and accuracy. Furthermore, various software packages are now
increasingly being developed to analyze surveyed Data, construct life tables, and
perform mortality demographic and other multivariate Data analysis designed to
revolutionize scientific research and to find practical solutions to complex, challenging
and everyday life situations. We now outline the use of Computer in the following
specific areas among others.

i. Research Institutions
a. Evaluating, monitoring and controlling laboratory experiments.
b. Storing the readings obtained in laboratory experiments.
c. Standardizing the reading obtained in laboratory experiments.
d. Tabulating or plotting the graph of the results obtained from laboratory
experiments.
e. Interpreting the results obtained from laboratory experiments.
f. Modeling and simulating systems.
g. Developing the prototypes of systems.

ii. Engineering and Architecture

a. Designing and drawing with very high precision, accuracy and at minimum
cost.
b. Modeling and simulating the behavior of engineering or architectural
systems.
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c. Developing the prototype of say, an aircraft, a motor car, assembly plant

and so on. It is possible to test and monitor the performance of these
systems without serious financial commitments.
d. Fabricating, constructing and assembling the component parts of machines
such as motor car, aircraft and engineering plants without any hazards.

Other Applications

i. Marketing Department
a. Comparative analysis of products of two or more companies with a view to
predicting some areas of improvement.
b. Market survey, statistical analysis of proportional market gains and
prediction of new market areas.
c. Creation of the awareness and appreciation of products.

ii. Agriculture
a. Keep records of soil, rainfall, weather conditions, land size, crops, chemicals
and ultimately process the records to estimate the soil fertility and yield per
hectare over a number of years.
b. Keep records, of poultry and animal husbandry farm with a view to
estimating the feed mix, environmental condition desirable for optimal
yield.
c. Assess the behavior patterns of farmers in a cooperative venture and assist in
matching the farmers that have identical behavior with a view to optimizing
their productivity.

iii. Law and Justice

a. Modeling and simulating legislative procedures.
b. Indexing, storage and retrieval of law reports.
c. Indexing, storage and retrieval of court proceedings.
d. Assisting the human experts in crime investigation.
e. Statistical analysis of criminal and civil cases in the law court and estimating
the rate of growth.
f. Assisting the court registrar in the allocation of cases to courts.
g. Monitoring and evaluating congestion in police custody and prisons.
h. Identifying the causes of crime and assisting with the provision of
preventive and curative measures.

iv. Health Care

The delivery of health care facilities has been one of the notable areas in which
Computer applications have proved most beneficial to mankind. The Computer is
used to conduct fast and accurate laboratory tests for blood, urine, stool and so on.
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The Computer is used in the diagnosis and physiological monitoring of patients life
during surgical operation and intensive care programme. There is also a wide range of
application packages for the scientific preparation and administration of drugs, x-ray
techniques, blood bank management and so on. An equally important application of
the Computer is the Computer simulation provided in the training of medical and
paramedical staff and students. Computers are being used to perform routine clerical
functions in hospitals such as keeping records of hospital admission and discharges,
administration of drugs and prescriptions and other hospital administrative functions.
Furthermore, the Computer is used to provide a Data bank of medical history to
meet the Data needs of health insurance schemes and vital health care statistical
reports.
The summaries that can be drawn about the use of computers in the hospitals are as
follows:
a. Keeping and reviewing in a timely, effective and efficient manner the
records of patients, staff, drugs and equipment.
b. Monitoring the temperature, blood pressure, heart beat and a host of other
parameters of patients and raising an alarm when abnormal situation is
about to occur.
c. Assisting medical practitioners in the diagnosis of patient disease.
d. Assisting the medical practitioners in the prescription of drugs to patients
and ultimately the treatment of patients.
e. Assisting the medical practioners in the monitoring, controlling and
reviewing basic health services, birth rate, death rate, outbreak of disease
and a host of others.

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
i. The field of education provides the most fascinating application of computing
system. Some of the applications in education include:
 Computer aided self-tutored application packages.
 Computer instructional aids e.g. digital projectors.
 Microsoft PowerPoint application software for preparing slide shows,
speeches, seminars, workshop, lectures etc.
 Computer simulated graded exercises, group work.

ii. Payroll preparation is basically a repetitive and a predictable task which has to be
done occasionally for every single worker in an organization at specific points in
time weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
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iii. In Auditing Operations, The Computer served as a device used by auditors to

report correctly on the business register which establishes the most essential aspect
in the audit trail.

iv. The Computer enables the real keeping of a full and up to-date record of every
single worker by creating a comprehensive Database involving names, addresses,
ages, qualifications, marital status, salaries, dates of promotion and so on

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. List the application areas of Computer in agriculture
ii. List the application areas of Computer in law and justice.
iii. List the application areas of Computer in health care

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Mention one major function of Personnel Record Keeping

ii. Mention three usage of Computer in publishing industry.
iii. Highlight four application areas of Computer in educational institutions.
iv. List five application areas of Computer in research institutions.

Further Readings
1. Computer Applications Tutorial by Tutorials Point (online tutorial) - A
beginner-friendly tutorial that introduces Computer applications.
2. Internet Technology Tutorial by Codeforwin (online tutorial) - A tutorial that
focuses on internet technology.
3. Electronic Mail Tutorial by GeeksforGeeks (online tutorial) - A tutorial that
explains electronic mail concepts.
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References

1. Computer Applications: An Introduction by Peter Denning and Robert M.

Metcalfe (2017) - A textbook that introduces various application areas of
computers.
2. Application Areas of Computers by S. Dandamudi (2003) - A research
paper that discusses various application areas of computers.
3. Computer Applications in Industry, Commerce, and Education by David J.
Barnes (2016) - A textbook that covers various application areas of
computers.
4. Internet Technology: An Introduction by James K. Petersen (2017) - A
textbook that introduces internet technology.
5. Internet and World Wide Web: How to Program by Paul Deitel and Harvey
Deitel (2015) - A textbook that covers internet programming.
6. Internet Technology and Applications by Rajiv Chopra (2020) - A textbook
that covers internet technology and its applications.
7. Electronic Mail: An Introduction by Lawrence Hughes (2013) - A textbook
that introduces electronic mail.
8. Email Essentials: How to Write Effective Email by Diana Booher (2015) - A
textbook that covers effective email writing.
9. Electronic Mail Systems by S. Dandamudi (2003) - A research paper that
discusses electronic mail systems.
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Unit 2: Internet Technology

Introduction
In the present age of Information Technology (IT), use of Internet is becoming
quite popular for accessing Information on any topic of your interest. It also
provides tremendous opportunities to students; researchers and professionals for
getting Information on matters related to academic and professional topics and lot
more. In the present world, most of the people who have computers around
themselves use Internet to access Information from the World Wide Web,
exchange messages & documents and e-services.
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In this study session, you will learn about basics of Internet, and its various
applications

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Explain the concept of Internet.
ii. Discuss Internet and its application areas.

Main Content

Introduction to Internet
The Internet or simply the Net is a worldwide network of Computer networks. It is an
interconnection of large and small networks around the globe. The Internet is a
Computer network made up of thousands of networks worldwide. No one knows
exactly how many computers are connected to the Internet. It is certain, however, that
this number is in the millions and it is increasing at a rapid rate. No one is in charge of
the Internet. There are organizations which develop technical aspects of this network and
set standards for creating applications on it, but no governing body is in control. Private
companies own the Internet backbone, through which Internet traffic flows.
Box 2.0

What is Internet?
The Internet or simply the Net is a worldwide network of Computer networks. It
is an interconnection of large and small networks around the globe.

Applications of Internet
With the help of Internet, you can:
i. Exchange messages using e-mail (Electronic mail).
ii. Transfer files as well as software.
iii. Browse through Information on any topic on web.
iv. Communicate in real time (chat) with others connected to the Internet.
v. Search Databases of government, individuals and organizations.
vi. Read news available from leading news groups.
vii. Send or receive animation and picture files from distant places.
viii. Set up a site with Information about your company‘s products and services.
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Types of Internet Connections

Any terminal to activate internet services on it requires an internet connection from an
Internet Service Provider. To have a connection, one needs to contact the Internet
Service Providers. There are several Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in each locality.
There are some nominal charges that you need to pay to the ISP for the installation of the
connection and for the rent (either monthly or annually). Depending on the requirement,
you can choose any one of the available options. If you need a high speed dedicated
network, then you can opt for a high bandwidth broadband or leased line connection. An
Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides services for accessing,
using, or participating in the Internet. Internet service providers may be organized in
various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or otherwise
privately owned. Internet services typically provided by ISPs include Internet access,
Internet transit, domain name registration, web hosting, Usenet service, and colocation.
If you need to have connection on a single PC, then you choose a low bandwidth or
dialup connection. For small services at your hand, you can even have mobile phones
connected to your Internet. There are many ways to get connected to the Internet.

Figure 44: Types of Internet Connection

You can get internet connection in any of the following ways:-
i. Dial-up
This is the most common basic type of connection available from ISPs (Internet
Server Providers). In Dial-up connection, you use your computer, dial a phone
number (provided by ISP) to get connected to server at providers‘ end through which
you access Internet. It means you are not directly connected to Internet; you access
the Internet through an Internet Service Provider.
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ii. ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)

The process of connecting to server to access Internet is almost same as Dial-up, but
it offers connectivity through the use of digital phone lines instead of Analog. It
offers Internet connectivity at speeds of up to 128 Kbps, allows the user to receive or
make calls simultaneously on the same line. ISDN comes through a regular telephone
wire from the telephone pole on the street. The line combines two 64 Kbps channels
to offer 128 Kbps bandwidth broken into three bands: One band for the ringing signal
of your phone, one band for your telephone conversation, and one band for Data
transfer.
iii. Leased Line Connection (Direct Internet Access)
It is a ―permanent connection‖ between a Computer System (single CPU or LAN,
and the Internet). It is generally used by larger institutions, corporate and government
agencies. It involves establishing your own Internet gateway (connection) and
payment to have a direct full time line with the network. Your computers, in effect,
become part of the Net. The main advantage of this connection is that: it is on line –
24 hrs. A day, seven days a week, (24x7) and provides faster access. Dedicated links
are established through an internet service provider who places a computer-
controlled router (message director) at your site. A router is used to connect your
local network to the Internet, allow all the members of network to have complete
access to Internet.
iv. DSL (Digital Subscriber Line or Dedicated Service Line) Broadband Connection
DSL, an ―always-on‘ Data connection is becoming widely available these days. It can
provide an excellent Internet connection. It connects your home or office to the
Internet through the same telephone wire that comes from telephone pole on the
street. Like ISDN, with DSL, user can make and receive telephone calls while
connected to the Internet. The difference between DSL and dial-up / ISDN is that a
DSL Internet connection uses a high-speed dedicated circuit filtering out standard
phone calls and Internet signals.
Web Browser
A web browser is the software program, used to access the World Wide Web. A browser
(also known as client software) retrieves Data from remote web servers and displays a
web page. Through this tool the user send their request to Internet server to access the
information, Server process the request and responds with required Information as a
web page to the user. The most popular browsers are Internet Explorer, Netscape
Navigator, Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome.
The steps for connecting to a website are explained further.
i. Type a URL for a website in browser say [Link]/lautechcdlms/
ii. Your browser attempts to make a connection and sends the request to Web Server.
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iii. The Web Server receives and processes the request.

iv. The Web Server responds to the request with the homepage of the website.
v. The webpage is displayed by your browser and the connection between the server
and your browser is closed

Figure 45: Internet Explorer

Source: [Link]

Frequently Used Terms in Internet

In this section, we will discuss common internet terms to help you understand the
relationship of various Internet technologies.
i. World Wide Web (WWW): The World Wide Web (―WWW‖ or simply the
―web‖) is a collection of electronic documents (called web pages) that are linked
together like a spider web. These documents are stored on computers called
servers located around the world.
ii. Web Server: A Web Server is a Computer that stores web pages. It is responsible
for accepting request(s) from users and serves them with web pages. Two
important web server programs are: IIS (Internet Information server) and Apache,
etc. Web servers are connected to the Internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
iii. Hyperlink: It is an element in an electronic document that links to another place in
the same document or to an entirely different document or other resource.
Hyperlinks usually appear as underlined text and in a different color, but they may
also appear as graphics, such as buttons to click. Hyperlinks may be used to link
another place in the same page, or another page, to play an audio or video file, to
download a file, to set up a message to an e-mail address, and to link to other
Internet resources.
iv. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): It is a language that consists of certain key
words called ‗Tags‘, used for writing the documents on the web.
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v. Web Page: A web page (such as the one you are looking at now) is an electronic
document written in a Computer language called HTML (Hypertext Markup
Language). Web pages can contain text, graphics, video, animation, and sound, as
well as interactive features, such as Data entry forms. Each page has a unique
address known as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that identifies its location
on the server. Web pages usually contain hyperlinks to other web pages.
vi. Website: A website (often shortened to just site) is one or more web pages,
belonging to a particular company, institute, government or an individual. The
first page is called the home page, which acts like an index, indicating the content
on the site.
Box 2.1

What is Internet service provider (ISP)?

An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides services for
accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. Internet service providers may be
organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or
otherwise privately owned.

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
i. The Internet or simply the Net is a worldwide network of Computer networks. It
is an interconnection of large and small networks around the globe.
ii. The Internet is a Computer network made up of thousands of network
worldwide. No one knows exactly how many computers are connected to the
Internet.
iii. An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides services for
accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. Internet service providers may be
organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or
otherwise privately owned.
iv. Types of Internet connections include: Dial up, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital
Network), Leased Line Connection (Direct Internet Access), DSL (Digital
Subscriber Line)

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
 P a g e | 106

i. How can you use internet to communicate with relations that are far away?
ii. How is DSL different from ISDN?

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Define Internet
ii. State 5 applications of Internet
iii. Define the following terms:
 World wide web
 Hyperlink
 Webpage
 Website

Further Readings

1. "Internet Technology Tutorial" by Tutorials Point (online tutorial, 2022)

2. "How the Internet Works" by TechRadar (online article, 2022)
3. "Internet Technology Basics" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial, 2022)
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References

1. "Internet Technology and Applications" by James K. Summers (2020)

2. "The Internet: A Guide to Internet Technology" by Marshall Breeding (2020)
3. "Internet Technology: A Comprehensive Guide" by Daniel G. Siegel (2020)
4. Internet Technology" by Coursera (online course, 2022)
5. "Internet Fundamentals" by edX (online course, 2022)
6. "Internet Technology and Applications" by Udemy (online course, 2022)
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Unit 3: Electronic mail

Introduction
In this study session, you will learn about basics of Electronic mail and E-mail
Privacy.

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Explain the concept of Electronic mail
ii. Discuss E-mail Privacy
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Main Content

Electronic mail
Electronic mail, or e-mail, is your personal one-to-one communication connection to the
world of the Internet. Most of the millions of people around the world who use the
Internet have their own e-mail addresses. The basic concepts behind e-mail parallel those
of regular mail, but e-mail has advantages over regular mail. The most obvious is speed.
Instead of several days, your message can reach the other side of the world in hours,
minutes, or maybe even seconds. E-mail is also convenient. You send your messages
when it's convenient for you and your recipients respond at their conveniences.

E-mail Addresses

In order to use e-mail over the Internet effectively, users need a certain amount of
knowledge about addressing. All Internet e-mail addresses have a minimum of three
parts: a user name (which may or may not be the same as the person's real name); an 'at'
sign (i.e., @); and a domain address, (frequently the service provider's name).
The domain name is followed by a period dot,' in Internet parlance) and a domain type,
which specifies a domain's institution type. Although there has been much talk lately
about adding domain types to prevent running out of Web addresses, so far these types
generally fall into one of seven categories:
 com – business or commercial
 edu – educational (e.g. a college or university)
 mil – military
 net – network resource
 org – organization (frequently nonprofit in nature)
 it – international organizations (such as NATO or the United Nations)
If the address ends in one of these types, it generally means the domain is located in the
United States. However, since domains do not require a country specification in order to
be registered, this is not a hard and fast rule. Usually, countries other than the U.S. tack
on a country code to the end of the Internet address. Some of these codes are as follows
 au – Australia
 ca – Canada
 fr – France
 ie – Ireland
 is – Israel
 it – Italy
 ng – Nigeria
 nz – New Zealand
 ru – Russia
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 uk – England
 us – United States
 za – Zaire

Standards E-mail Protocols

As with every technology, e-mail has its own set of standards to ensure usability.
Additionally, the Internet requires standards as well, enabling such capabilities as
multimedia file attachments around the world.

Figure 46: Standard E-mail Protocols

i. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)

First established in 1982, this standard allows for mail messages that contain a single
'human readable' message, with several restrictions: the message must contain only
ASCII characters; the message may not contain any line longer than 1,000 characters;
and the message must not exceed a certain length.
ii. Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME)
This standard for attaching non-text files to standard Internet mail messages extends
the SMTP format by defining new formats, such as those for Data other than text.
Developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force with the purpose of handling new
media types, it so far supports seven of them: plain text of any length (without word
processor formatting), audio, video, still images, pointers to messages located
elsewhere, multipart messages (even if each part consists of a different type), and
application-specific Data.
iii. Post Office Protocol (POP)
Now in its third iteration (POP3), this standard supports downloading mail from any
location without having to connect to a fixed server. In other words, it means that the
server you connect to holds your mail until you log on and retrieve it. It is the
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standard supported by most mail clients on the Internet, but it is beginning to be

superseded by IMAP.
iv. Internet Mail Access Protocol (IMAP)
A client/server protocol now in its fourth version, IMAP4 takes POP a step further.
Instead of requiring users to transfer a complete mail item to a client before beginning
the message, IMAP lets users selectively download portions of a message.
For example, users can download a text portion but retain the graphic file attachment
on the server for later download. Additionally, it lets users pick up messages on a
remote server, edit them on- or offline, and otherwise manipulate server-based
folders.

Advantages of Using E-mail

Using Internet e-mail instead of conventional mail, overnight delivery services, the
telephone, or a fax can often lead to tremendous cost savings. For example, the cost
of sending a 100-page document to any part of the Lagos via e-mail (which, travelling
at 28.8k bps could arrive at its destination in about a minute) costs less than N50.00.
Compare this to the cost of using any Courier service, N2000.00 or even regular
postage, and the savings are clear. Furthermore, companies can save money by
attaching files to e-mail and eliminating the costs of rekeying.

E-mail Privacy

Perhaps the biggest concern in sending Internet e-mail is the assurance that no one
but the intended recipient will read it. To this end, a variety of options exist for
ensuring e-mail privacy, comprising encryption algorithms and authentication
methods. There are presently five separate encryption protocols and all of them have
the potential to become standards as time goes on.

Figure 47: E-mail Privacy

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i. Pretty Good Privacy (PGP)

Originally released as freeware in 1991 by its developer, Philip Zimmermann, this
is widely used for mail encryption on the Internet. It cannot, however, encrypt
multimedia Data, so another version, called PGP/MIME, has recently been
developed which will address this shortcoming.
ii. Message Security Protocol (MSP)
This protocol is used in the Defense Message System. It offers a signed receipt
capability that proves that a message got to its destination without modification.
While its use so far is within the military, such a feature can be just as important in
commercial environments.
iii. Privacy Enhanced Mail (PEM)
This standard for secure e-mail outlines necessary security services including
encryption, authentication, and certificate-based key management. Additionally, it
defines the algorithms to be used. However, unlike MSP, PEM does not provide
authentication of the recipient. This standard was never accepted widely and
seems to have been replaced by MSP.
iv. MIME Object Security Services (MOSS)
MOSS is actually derived from PEM and adds security services to MIME. It uses
two cryptographic techniques--digital signatures and encryption--and provides the
capability to authenticate a message's origin, that it has not been altered on its way
to its destination, and that only the intended recipients can read it.
v. Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME)
This encryption scheme was developed by a consortium headed by RSA Data
Security and supported by Microsoft. It supports encryption of multimedia Data
types, as well as text, and a strong point is that it guarantees interoperability
between any two implementations. Since it is, however, patented technology, there
have been some speculations as to whether it should be considered for approval as
a standard. It is already part of both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet
Explorer.

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt that:
i. Standards E-mail Protocols are: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP),
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME), Post Office Protocol (POP),
Internet Mail Access Protocol (IMAP)
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Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. Explain the following
 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
 Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension
 Post Office Protocol
 Internet Mail Access Protocol

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. State the major differences between Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension.
ii. Discuss any four security protocols that ensure the privacy of e-mails

Further Readings

1. "Email Essentials" by Coursera (online course, 2022)

2. "Email Marketing" by edX (online course, 2022)
3. "Email Management" by Udemy (online course, 2022)
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References

1. "Email: A Guide to Electronic Mail" by Marshall Breeding (2020)

2. "The Email Revolution: How Email Changed the Way We Communicate" by
Daniel G. Siegel (2020)
3. "Electronic Mail: A Comprehensive Guide" by James A. O'Donnell (2020)
4. "Email Tutorial" by GCFLearnFree (online tutorial, 2022)
5. "How Email Works" by TechRadar (online article, 2022)
6. "Email Basics" by Microsoft Support (online tutorial, 2022)
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Learning Section 5:

Office Productivity Tools

Units
Unit 1: Word processing

Unit 2: Worksheet
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Unit 1: Word Processing

Introduction
Office Productivity tools are software programs designed to make Computer users
more productive and efficient at their workplace. Office productivity tools range
from word processing to spreadsheet, presentation and Database etc. In this study
session, productivity tools for doing word processing and spreadsheet related work
will be explained.

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Explain basic menu details of Word processing
ii. Create, save and modify Word files and protect a Word document
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Main Content

Starting Word Program

You can start the WORD program as follows
i. Click on the Start button.
ii. In the menu that appears select All Programs (registered) Microsoft Office -
Microsoft Office Word 2007

Figure 48: Starting word program

Source: [Link]

Word screen layout

In a few seconds you will see Word screen on the monitor

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Figure 49: Word screen layout

Source: [Link]

i. Office button
It is one of the important parts of the screen used in file management containing
menus like New, Open, Print etc.
ii. Title bar
Title bar is the topmost part of the screen which contains quick access tool bar on the
left, title of the document in the center and the sizing buttons on the extreme right of
it.
iii. Ribbon
The Ribbon is designed to help you quickly find the commands that you need to
complete a task.
iv. Rulers
The rulers display horizontal and vertical scales that reflect the width and height of
your typing area. The horizontal scale is invaluable when you want to quickly set
tabs, margins, and indents. Select the View tab on the main word screen to be able to
select/deselect the Ruler/Gridlines and other options.
v. Typing Area
The open area below the ribbon is writing or typing area. There are certain objects
that are a permanent part of the typing area. These are: (a) Insertion Point, (b) Mouse
Pointer
vi. Insertion Point
The black vertical blinking line is the cursor and place where it is blinking is insertion
point that is initially at the top left side of the typing area i.e., at the beginning of the
document. It indicates the place where your typing is inserted into the document. As
you type, the blinking line continuously moves along towards right.
vii. Mouse Pointer
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When you move the mouse around in the typing area, the mouse pointer is in the
shape of a thin I- beam. As you move the mouse near the menu bar and toolbars, the
mouse pointer becomes a pointing arrow.
viii. Scrollbars
The typing area is bordered on the right side by the vertical scroll bar with a scroll
button and arrows. The single down arrow scrolls through the document line by line.
The double down arrow allows you to move to the top of the next page. The double
up arrow allows you to move to the top of the previous page. The double down arrow
allows you to move to the top of the next page. You can also drag the vertical scroll
button up and down the scroll bar to move up and down through the document.
ix. Status bar
It is situated at the bottom of the screen and contains status of the document.

Documents

Managing Documents
This section of the lesson explains how to open a new/existing document, save a
document, print a document, finding a document, and closing an opened document.
There are several ways of create new documents, open existing documents, and save
documents in Word. Click on the Office Button to use one of the following options from
the menu pull down bar.

Figure 50: Creating New Document

To enter text, just start typing in the text area. As you type, the text will appear where the
blinking cursor is located and will move from left to right. Unlike with a typewriter, you
need not press ENTER key at the end of each line, the texts automatically shift to next
line.
i. To Open an Existing Document
To open an existing document, follow one of the following methods:
 Click the Open button on the pull down menu.
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Or
 Press CTRL+O keys on the keyboard.
Each of the above method will show the Open dialog box. Choose the file and
click the Open button.
ii. To Save a New or Existing Document
To save a new/existing document that is opened, follow one of the following
methods:
 Click the Save button on the pull down menu.
Or
 Press CTRL+S keys on the keyboard.
If the document is already named and saved earlier, it will simply save the document.
On the other hand, if the file is a new document then it will prompt you by opening
Save As dialog box. Select the folder where you want to place your document in Save
In: box, type the name of the document in File Name: box, and then click OK. You
can also save a new document by choosing CTRL-S on the keyboard and then
selecting the above actions in Save As dialog box.
iii. To Close a Document
Close the current document by selecting Office Button-Close command on the menu
bar or click the Close icon if it is visible on the Standard toolbar.

Editing a Document
Editing a document includes basic three tasks which are Editing a document includes
basic three tasks which are Inserting text, Deleting text and Replacing text
i. Inserting Text
To insert the text in an existing document, follow the steps given below:
 Move the cursor by using the arrow buttons on the keyboard or positioning the
mouse and clicking the left button where you want to insert the text.
 Type the text you want to insert.
ii. Deleting Text
Use the BACKSPACE and DELETE keys on the keyboard to delete text. Backspace
will delete the text to the left of the cursor and Delete will erase the text to the right
 P a g e | 121

iii. Replacing Text

Word can com bi ne t h e steps of deleting un w anted text , positioning the insertion
point, and inserting replacement text. To replace text, follow the steps given below:
 Select the text to be removed as explained above.
 Start typing the new text. Observe that the new text is replacing the selecting text.

Formatting Document
Formatting a document mainly involves formatting of Font and Paragraph.

Figure 51: Document formatting tab

i. Font Formatting
Using the Formatting toolbar is the easiest way to change many attributes of text. If
the toolbar as shown below is not displayed on the screen, select Home Tab. Under
Home Tab you can select desired Formatting commands under Font, Paragraph
subtask as per the diagram given below.
ii. Font Face
Font is the basic typeface in which your words are displayed. Font comes in families
such as Times New Roman or Ariel. Each font family has a specific way of
formatting individual letters.
iii. Font Size - It determines how large each letter will appear.
The font size is measured in points (1/72 of an inch). Click on the white part of the
font size box in the Font Formatting subtask menu to enter a value for the font size or
click the arrowhead to the right of the box in the Formatting toolbar to view a list of
font sizes available.
iv. Font Style - Font style determines the emphasis or weight that the letters have
when they are displayed. Each font can be displayed as bold, italicize and
underline.
 Alignment - Text can be aligned to the left, center, or right side of the page
or it can be justified across the page.
 Numbered and Bulleted Lists - Lists are used to highlight the main points of
the document.
 Increase/Decrease Indent - Change the indentation of a paragraph in relation
to the side of the page.
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 Outside Border - Add a border around a text selection.

 Highlight Color - Use this option to change the color behind a text selection.
The color shown on the button is the last color used. To select a different
color, click the arrowhead next to the image on the button.
 Text Color - This option changes the color of the text.
The color shown on the button is the last color chosen. Click the arrowhead
next to the button image to select another color.
v. Line Spacing: Line Spacing determines the height of each line of text in the
paragraph.
The default (single line spacing) depends on the size of the font characters. The
preview area demonstrates the relative effect of single, one-and-a-half and double line
spacing.
vi. Bulleted and Numbered Lists
Bulleted lists and Numbered lists are often used to bring main points to a reader‘s
attention.
 Creating a Bulleted and Numbered Lists
To create a bulleted or numbered list, use the list features provided by Word.
Click the Bulleted List button or Numbered List button on the formatting
toolbar. Then type the first entry and press ENTER. This will create a new
bullet or number on the next line. If you want to start a new line without adding
another bullet or number, hold down the SHIFT key while pressing ENTER.
You can also type the text first, highlight the section, and press the Bulleted
List or Numbered List buttons to add the bullets or numbers.
vii. Working with Tables
There are two ways to add a table to the document using the Insert feature:
 Click on the Insert Table tab on the standard tool bar and select table icon from
the sub task menu
 Drag the mouse along the grid, highlighting the number of rows and columns
required for the table. And as you select the number of rows and columns,
accordingly the table will get created on the document.
 Alternatively select Insert Tab-Table from the sub-task menu bar. Then select
Insert Table options to display the input screen for number of rows and
columns the table will have.
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Figure 52: Working with table

Figure 53: Insert Table

viii. Adding Graphics

Word accepts most popular graphic file formats in use today, and it comes with large
collection of ready-to-use clip art. You can also import your own graphic files from
any source such as scanners and digital cameras. You can also create your own
artwork by using drawing tools in Word. The tools to insert graphics in to the
document are available in Illustrations groups under Insert tab from the main tab bar.
ix. Copying Text and Moving Text
 Copying Text
Copying means to make a copy of the selected text and insert it at another
location, leaving the original text unchanged. To copy text, follow the steps given
below:
 Select the text that will be copied.
 and on the menu bar, or
click the Cut button on the standard tool bar, or press CTRL+X keys. This
will move the text to a clipboard.
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
click the Copy button on the standard toolbar, or press CTRL+C keys to
copy the text to the clipboard.
 Moving Text
Moving text means to remove (cut) the selected text from one location and insert
(paste) it at another location. To move texts, follow the steps given below:
 Select the text that will be moved.
 Select
the Cut button on the standard tool bar, or press CTRL+X keys. This will
move the text to a clipboard.
 To paste cut text, move the cursor to the location you want to move the text
to and select Home. Click the Paste button on the standard toolbar, or press
CTRL+V keys.
 To move a small amount of text a short distance, the drag-and- drop method
may be quicker.
 Highlight the text you want to move, click the selection with the mouse,
drag the selection to the new location, and release the mouse button.
x. Spelling and Grammar
The spelling and grammar checkers check for misspelled words or grammar errors.
Word will automatically check for spelling and grammar errors as you type unless
you turn this feature off.
To use the spelling and grammar checker, follow these steps:
 Select button from the main tab bar or press F7 button on the keyboard.
 The Spelling and Grammar dialog box will notify you of the first mistake in the
document and misspelled words will be highlighted in red.
 If the word is spelled correctly, click the ignore button or click ll button if the
word appears more than once in the document.
xi. Page Layout
In this section, you will learn designing pages suiting to your needs. For instance, the
page setup options which included paper size and page orientation etc. are normally
set either by you or by default at the beginning of the opening a new document. These
options are available under Page Layout tab and can easily be changed at any time
according to your needs
xii. Page Margins
There are two methods by which you can change the page margins of your document:
 using ruler
 Move the mouse over the area where the white ruler changes to grey
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 When the cursor becomes a double-ended arrow, click with the mouse
and drag the margin indicator to the desired location
 Release the mouse when the margin is set.

 Using Page Setup dialog box.

The margins can also be changed using the Page Setup dialog box:
Select Page Layout Tab
 Click on the command on the menu bar
 Choose the Margins button under Page Setup sub task group to display the
margin dialog box.
xiii. Headers and Footers
A header is text that is added to the top margin of every page such as a document title
or page number and footer is text added to the bottom margin. Follow these steps to
add or edit headers and footers in the document.
 Select Insert Header and Footer subtask menu on the main tab bar. Click on the
Header or Footer option as per the requirement.
 On selecting Header option, header toolbar will appear and the top of the page
will be highlighted.
 Type the heading in the Header box. You may use many of the standard text
formatting options such as font face, size, bold, italics, etc.

Figure 54: Header and Footer

Similarly you can select the designated command for Footer and customized it as
per requirement.
xiv. Page Numbers
Use these steps to add page numbers to a document as shown in figure.
 Select Insert- Page Numbers from the main tab bar and the following dialog
box will appear.
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 Select the Position of the page numbers by choosing ―Top of page‖ or ―Bottom
of page‖ from the Position drop-down menu.
 Click OK when finished.

Figure 55: Page Number

xv. Printing Document

Figure 56: Printing Document

3. Print the entire document or only current page or specific pages or even the
selected part of the document.
4. Print a draft copy, which omits graphics to allow faster printing.
5. Number of copies to be printed, etc.
To print a document or selected pages follow the steps given below:
i. Open the document to be printed.
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ii.
The Print dialog box will open. Select the Options like print range, Number of
copies, Printer name etc. See that printer is switched on and the paper is available
in the printer tray.
iii. Click OK.

xvi. Exit Word Program

When finished your work in Word and closing all the files, you can quit the Word
program by
xvii. Mail Merge
Mail merge is one of the importing features of Word which is used to produce letters,
mailing labels and envelops and send it to different people or organization. Mail
Merge requires three types of documents:
 Main Document: In a Mail Merge operation, the personalized document (such
as, a standard letter, or mailing label) is known as the main document. It is the
document containing the text and graphics that stay the same for each version
of the merged document.
 Data Source: Data source is a file that contains the names and addresses or any
other Information that vary with each version of a mail-merge document
 Merge Document: When you merge the main document with Data source, a
third document called merge document will be produced. The merge document
can be merged to the screen to view letters along with addresses; or directly to
the printer to print the letters along with addresses.
To do Mail Merge in Word click on the ‗Mailings‘ tab on the main tab bar to activate
the mailings features and tools, which comprises subtask such as ―Create‖, ―Start
Mail Merge‖, ―Write & Insert Fields‖, ―Preview Results‖ and ―Finish & Merge‖
Mail Merge Wizard
The Mail Merge wizard guides you through the process of doing a mail merge. This
involves creating and editing main document; creating a new Data file, opening an
existing Data file; and merging the Data fields with main document. To use Mail Merge
Wizard, select Mailings then Start Mail Merge subtask from the main tab bar. Then
select Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard option on the subtask bar.
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Figure 57: Mail Merge Wizard

The Mail Merge Wizard menu will appear on the screen. This will help you to create
mail merge documents in customized step manner.
Select Document Type
Selecting a Document Type is the first step towards creating a mail merge document.
Using this option you can choose the type of main document such as Letters, E-Mail
Messages.
Envelopes, Labels, Directory
When you select Letters type, you can use this letter to send to a group of people with a
personalized letter that is received by different people in that group with different
address. Select Letters from the options given in the Select Document type box and click
on the ―Next: Starting document‖ located on the lower end of the Wizard dialog box to
move to the next step.
Select Starting Document
i. The 2nd step in the process is to select starting document under Letters option.
There are three options available.
ii. Use the current document: This is to use the current document shown and use the
mail merge features to add recipients address
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Figure 57: Mail Merge

iii. Start from a Template: Similarly if you don‘t have a drafted letter for use, you can
choose for ready to use mail merge template already available with Word 2007.
iv. Start from existing document: If you already have a document available with you,
you can select the existing mail merge document and make necessary changes to
the content of the letter and/or recipients. Now you type the body of the letter Save
your document.
Creating a Data Source
The 3rd step in Mail Merge Wizard is to select a list of recipients or address to whom the
drafted letter will be addressed and dispatched. If you do not have existing Database
information, you must create your own Data source of the fields of Information that
will be inserted into the letter or any other main document. For example,
A Mail Merge letter which you have created earlier might require that you have
the following fields in address list of students as Data source: Name, Address1,
Address2, City, State, and PIN Code.
Creating a Data Source Using Mail Merge Helper
You can use the Mail Merge Wizard to create a Microsoft Word, Excel or Access
Database Data source. Follow these steps to create a Data source using Mail Merge
Wizard: Open a new blank document if you have not yet created the main document or
open your existing main document.
i. Select ―Type a new list‖ from the ―Select Recipients‖ dialog box in step 3 of the
Mail Merge Wizard and then select ―Create‖ option
ii. A dialog box appears to create a list with new set of Data such as Title, First
Name, Last Name, Company Name and Address Line 1 and so on.
iii. You can start entering Data to the respective field as per your requirement directly
into the displayed New Address List dialog box.
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iv. If you want to Customize Columns in the new address list to remove or add any
other field as per your requirement, click on the customized button located on the
lower right side of the New Address List dialog box.
v. This will display a list of available Data field to which you can add a customized
Data field, delete or rename an existing Data field in the list. Once done click on
the ―OK‖ button.
vi. When you finish specifying the required Data fields to the new address list, click
OK. The Save As dialog box appears.
vii. Locate the folder that you want to save the Data source in, type a file name, and
then click Save As in the Save As dialog box. The file will be saved with an
extension name mdb. (Microsoft Database).
Merging Documents
Once if you have created your main document and Data source document, the next two
steps in mail merge are to insert merge fields in the main document and then merge Data
in the main document.
To merge the fields in the main document you may have to do some editing in the main
document. Follow these steps as defined:
i. Click on the location of your letter where you want the addresses to be displayed
and then
ii. Select Address block option on the dialog box displayed in step 4 of the Mail
Merge Wizard. The Mail Merge Wizard displays the Insert Address Block dialog
box.
iii. Using Insert Address Block you can select the individual address field to be
inserted into the main letter.
iv. After you complete the main document and insert all of the merge fields, click on
the Office Button and select Save As option. Now select ―Word Document‖ to
save the file as a Word 2007 document or Select ―Word 97-2003 Document‖ to
save it as Word 97 or 2003 compatible document. Name the document, and then
click Save. Now your main document will work as merge document.
Merging the Data into the Main Document
Merging the Data into the main document is the last step of the Mail Merge Wizard.
Click on the << or >> button to display the preview of the main letter with address Data
before you close the merge document and take the printout of the letter. Once finished
click on the ―Next: Complete the Merge‖ option on the dialog box to complete the
merging process.
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Features of Spreadsheet
The new results-oriented user interface makes it easy for you to work in Microsoft Office
Excel. Commands and features that were often buried in complex menus and toolbars are
now easier to find on task-oriented tabs that contain logical groups of commands and
features. Many dialog boxes are replaced with drop-down galleries that display the
available options, and descriptive tooltips or sample previews are provided to help you to
choose the right option.
Starting Spreadsheet
i. Click on the Start button
ii. In the menu click All Programs -> Microsoft Office-> Microsoft Office Excel,
2007.

Figure 58: Starting Spreadsheet

It will start MS Excel 2007. The opening Excel screen is shown in Figure 1.15 and
the description of all the screen features are shown in table.
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Figure 59: Spreadsheet Screen

Table 1.0: Excel Screen Features

Office Button Displays as a Microsoft Office logo and when clicked,

displays a list of document management actions, such a s save
or print, and a list of recently opened workbooks.
Quick Access toolbar Contains buttons for commonly used commands which
can be executed with a single mouse click
Tabs Commands and features in the ribbon are organized into
related groups which are accessed by clicking a tab name.
Title Bar Displays workbook name followed by Microsoft Excel
Ribbon Area from which commands and feature s for performing
actions on a cell or work sheet are accessed. Begin by
selecting a tab and then choosing the command or feature.
Name Box Displays the active cell address or name assigned to active
cell.
Formula Bar Displays the contents stored in the active cell
Active Cell Location in the worksheet that will display typed Data or that
will be affected by a command.
Worksheet Area Contains calls used to create the worksheet

Vertical Used to view various parts of the worksheet beyond the

Horizontal scrollbars current screen
Sheet Tabs Identifies the worksheets in the workbook. Use these tabs to
change the active worksheet
Status Bar Displays current mode, action messages, View buttons, and
Zoom slider.
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Summary
In this unit, you have learnt:
i. The basic menu details of Word processing
ii. How to Create, save and modify Word files and protect a Word document
iii. How to mail merge and mail merge wizard.

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. Distinguish between Document Formatting and Document merging.

Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Write short note on the following:

 Text Inserting
 Text Replacing
 Mail merge
ii. Discuss the term Document Formatting.

Further Readings

1. "Microsoft Word 2019" by Coursera (online course, 2022)

2. "Google Docs" by edX (online course, 2022)
3. "Word Processing" by Udemy (online course, 2022)
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References

1. "Microsoft Word 2019 Inside Out" by Katherine Murray (2019)

2. "Word Processing: A Comprehensive Approach" by James A. O'Donnell (2020)
3. "Google Docs: A Guide to Word Processing in the Cloud" by Michael R. Grover
(2020)
4. "Microsoft Word Tutorials" by Microsoft Support (online tutorials, 2022)
5. "Google Docs Tutorials" by Google Docs Support (online tutorials, 2022)
6. "Word Processing Software" by TechRadar (online article, 2022)
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Unit 2: Worksheet

Introduction
Worksheet commonly refers to a sheet of paper with questions for students and
places to record answers. The term may also refer to a single array of Data in
spreadsheet software or an informal piece of paper that an accountant uses to record
information.

Student Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

i. Define the term worksheet
ii. Enter and edit Data on worksheet
iii. Modifying a worksheet
iv. Set page breaks and page setup within the worksheet
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Main Content

The Term Worksheet

Information is created in Excel in a worksheet and is saved in a file called a workbook.
Each Excel file is a workbook that can hold many worksheet s. The worksheet is a grid
of columns (designated by letters) and rows (designated by numbers). The letters and
numbers of the columns and rows (called labeled) are displayed in grey buttons across
the top and left side of the worksheet. The intersection of a column and a row is called a
cell. Data is entered into a cell. Columns are lettered from A to Z, AA to AZ, BA to BZ
and so on. Similarly Rows are numbered 1, 2, 3, and so on. A column letter and a row
number together identify a cell which is called cell addressed. Each worksheet is
composed of a very large number cell which is the basic storage unit for Data in a file or
workbook. The cells are arranged in a grid pattern using rows and columns.

Figure 60: Spreadsheet

Creating New Workbook

A workbook is a collection of many worksheets. You can create a blank workbook or
create a new workbook based on an existing workbook. By default, a workbook opens
with three worksheets and it can contain a maximum of 255 worksheets.
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i. For creating a new workbook:

 Click on the MS Office button.
 Click on New.
 In the new dialog box, click Blank workbook.
 Click on create button.

ii. Opening Workbook

To work on any worksheet in a workbook, first of all you have to open a workbook.
 Click on the MS Office button.
 Click on open. (or press ctrl + O Keys together)
 In the open dialog box, choose drive, folder name that contains the workbook.
 Click on Open.

iii. Saving a workbook

Click on MS Office button.
 Click on Save As.
 In Save As dialog box, specify the location where you want to save the file in the
Save in box.
 In the File name box, give the name of the file.
 In the save as type box, give the type of the file.
 Click save button.

iv. Closing a Workbook

Click on MS Office button.
 Choose Close
 You can select Exit Excel command to exit from MS Excel.
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Figure 61: How to close a worksheet

v. Inset a New Worksheet
To quickly insert a new worksheet at the end of existing worksheets Click the Insert
Worksheet tab to insert a new worksheet before an existing worksheet, Select and
right click the worksheet before which you want to insert a new worksheet. Select
Insert Option from Pop Up menu. In the Insert dialog box click on the worksheet and
then click on OK. Name the worksheet as Sheet 2.

Figure 62: How to insert a new worksheet

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vi. To rename a worksheet

To rename a worksheet follow the steps as:
 Right click on the worksheet tab which you want to rename
 Select rename from the Pop Up menu, the sheet name gets highlighted.
 Type new name for the Worksheet (Chemistry in our example)
 Previous name sheet 2 has been renamed as ‗chemistry‘ as shown in figure

Figure 63: How to rename a worksheet

Selecting Cells and Ranges

To enter Data into your worksheet you must first have a cell or range selected. When
you open an Excel worksheet, cell A1 is already active by default. An active cell will
appear to have a darker border around it than other cells on the worksheet. The simplest
way to select a cell is with your mouse pointer. Move your mouse to the desired cell and
click on it with right button. Whatever you type goes into the cell. To select a range of
cells, click on one cell, hold down the left mouse button and drag the mouse pointer to
the last cell of the range you want to select. You can also use keyboard shortcuts given at
the end of this lesson for selecting cells. Another way to select particular range of cells is
Go to Name Box® Select range by typing (for example A1:C5) Press Enter All the cells
between range A1 to C5 will be selected.

Entering and Editing Data

Entering Data in a cell of the Excel Worksheet involves following steps:
i. Click on the desired cell where you want to enter Data.
ii. Type your Data in the active cell.
iii. Press Enter.
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Text in a cell can include any combination of letters, numbers and keyboard symbols. A
cell can contain up to 32000 characters.
Editing your Excel worksheet Data is very easy. You can edit your Data by any of the
following ways:
i. Select the cell containing Data to be edited. Press F2. Use Backspace key and
erase the wrong entry. Retype the correct entry
ii. Select the cell and simply retype the correct entry.
iii. If you want only to clear the contents of the cell, select the cell and press Delete
key.
iv. To bring back the previous entry, either click on Undo button on standard Toolbar
or select Edit Undo command or use keyboard shortcuts CTRL+Z.

Find and Replace Data in a Worksheet

You may want to locate a number or text that is already typed in the worksheet. This is
done through Home Tab at Find. You can also locate your Data and replace with new
Data with Home Tab at Find at Replace.

MODIFYING A WORKSHEET
Insert Cells, Rows, Columns and Delete Cells
i. Insert blank cells in a worksheet
 Select the cell or the range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a
range can be adjacent or nonadjacent) of cells where you want to insert the new
blank cells
 Select the same number of cells as you want to insert. For example, to insert five
blank cells, you need to select five cells.
 On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click the arrow next to Insert, and then click
Insert Cells.
 You can also right-click the selected cells and then click insert on the shortcut
menu. In the Insert dialog box, click the direction in which you want to shift the
surrounding cells.
ii. Insert rows in a worksheet
 To insert a single row, select the row or a cell in the row above which you want to
insert the new row. For example, to insert a new row above row 5, click a cell in
row 5.
 To insert multiple rows, select the rows above which you want to insert rows.
Select the same number of rows as you want to insert. For example, to insert three
new rows, you need to select three rows.
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 To insert nonadjacent rows, hold down CTRL while you select nonadjacent rows.
Alternate method of inserting rows is; on the Home tab, in the Cells group, click
the arrow next to Insert, and then click Insert Sheet Rows.
iii. Insert columns in a worksheet
 To insert a single column, select the column or a cell in the column immediately
to the right of where you want to insert the new column. For example, to insert a
new column to the left of column B, click a cell in column B.
 To insert multiple columns, select the columns immediately to the right of where
you want to insert columns. Select the same number of columns as you want to
insert. For example, to insert three new columns, you need to select three
columns.
 To insert nonadjacent columns, hold down CTRL while you select nonadjacent
columns.
Alternate method of inserting columns is; on the Home tab, in the Cells group, click the
arrow next to Insert, and then click Insert Sheet Columns.
Delete cells, rows, or columns
i. Select the cells, rows, or columns that you want to delete.
ii. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, do one of the following:
 To delete selected cells, click the arrow next to Delete, and then click Delete Cells.
 To delete selected rows, click the arrow next to Delete, and then click Delete
Sheet Rows.
 To delete selected columns, click the arrow next to Delete, and then click Delete
Sheet Columns.
iii. If you are deleting a cell or a range of cells, using the Delete dialog box, click
Shift cells left, Shift cells up, Entire row, or Entire column.

Move or copy entire cells

When you move or copy a cell, Excel moves or copies the entire cell, including formulas
and their resulting values, cell formats, and comments.
i. Select the cells that you want to move or copy.
ii. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, do one of the following:
 To move cells, click Cut. Keyboard shortcut or press CTRL+X.
 To copy cells, click Copy or press CTRL+C.
iii. Select the upper-left cell of the paste area.
iv. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Paste. Or press CTRL+V.

Move or copy entire cells by using the mouse

By default, drag-and-drop editing is turned on so that you can use the mouse to move
and copy cells.
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i. Select the cells or range of cells that you want to move or copy.
ii. Do one of the following:
 To move a cell or range of cells, point to the border of the selection. When
the pointer becomes a move pointer, drag the cell or range of cells to
another location.

Copy cell values, cell formats, or formulas only

When you paste copied Data, you can do any of the following:
 Convert any formulas in the cell to the calculated values without
overwriting the existing formatting.
 Paste only the cell formatting, such as font colour or fill colour (and
not the contents of the cells). Paste only the formulas (and not the
calculated values).
i. Select the cell or range of cells that contains the values, cell formats, or formulas
that you want to copy.
ii. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy.
iii. Select the upper-left cell of the paste area or the cell where you want to paste the
value, cell format, or formula.
iv. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow below Paste, and then
do one of the following:
 To paste values only, click Paste Values.
 To paste cell formats only, click Paste Special and
then click Formats under Paste.
 To paste formulas only, click Formulas.

Drag and Drop method of moving cells

If you are moving the cell contents only a short distance, the drag- and-drop method
may be easier. Simply drag the highlighted border of the selected cell to the destination
cell with the mouse.

Page Breaks
To set page breaks within the worksheet, select the row you want to appear just below
the page break by clicking the row‘s label. Then choose Page Layout Setup Group →
Breaks → Input Page Break. Excel will start a new page from the row selected.
Page Setup
Page setup is necessary to set the page layout, margins etc. before printing. For this first
select File→ Page Setup from the menu bar. Page setup dialog box appear. In this dialog
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box there are various options for formatting the page, setting margins, and adding
headers and footers.
Print Preview
Print preview helps to view the worksheet before the final printout is taken. It helps to
edit the worksheet if required as per the need. The steps to see the print view of
document are; Select Print from Office Button Select prints Click Print Preview. Click
the buttons like Next and Previous with respect to Print Preview Tab. Select the Zoom
button to view the pages closer. Make page layout modifications needed by clicking the
Page Setup button. Click Close to return to the worksheet or Print to continue printing.

Print
To print the worksheet, select Print from Office Button. Print
dialog box appears with the following:
i. Print Range - Select either all pages or a range of pages to print.
ii. Print What - Select selection of cells highlighted on the worksheet, the active
worksheet, or all the Worksheets in the entire workbook.
iii. Copies - Choose the number of copies that should be printed. Check the Collate
box if the pages should remain in order.
iv. Click OK to print.

Summary
In this unit, you have learnt:
A worksheet or sheet is a single page in a file created with an electronic spreadsheet
program such as Excel or Google Spreadsheets. A worksheet is used to store,
manipulate, and display Data. Worksheet commonly refers to a sheet of paper with
questions for students and places to record answers.

Self-Study Assessment
Now that you have completed this study unit, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your
answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Study
Session.
i. Mention the steps in creating new workbook.
ii. Mention the steps in setting page breaks and page setup within the worksheet
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Tutor Marked Assignment

i. Write briefly on the following terms
 Creating New Workbook
 Selecting Cells and Ranges
 Entering and Editing Data
 Modifying a Worksheet
ii. Define Worksheet
Pilot Answers for Study Session on Computer System

Computer System can be define as the following

A Computer System is basically made up of the Central Processing Unit (normally

known as the computer), the monitor, the keyboard and the mouse. A Computer
consists of several interconnected devices or components. They are five basic
components namely, Central Processing Unit, Primary Storage, Secondary Storage,
Input Devices and Output Devices

Discuss the application of Computer in education

In educational institutions such as nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools,
polytechnics, colleges of education and universities, Computer can be used for the
following:

i Computer aided self-tutored application packages.

ii. Computer instructional aids e.g. digital projectors.

iii. Microsoft PowerPoint application software for preparing slide shows, speeches,
seminars, workshop, lectures etc.

Explain the following terms as it relates to a Computer System :

The hardware is a Computer System that combines the physical tangible things like
keyboards, mouse, monitors, internal circuits and communication media.

The software is a device or set of devices that works under the control of a stored
program that spontaneously accepts and processes Data to supply information.

Pilot Answers for Study Session on Classification of Computer System

6. Identify the classes of computers

7. Digital Computer
8. Analog Computer
9. Hybrid Computer
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Describe the following in term of their classifications

Digital Computer:
Digital Computer Represent its variable in the form of digits. It counts the Data it deals
with, whether representing numbers, letters or other symbols are converted into binary
form on input to the computer.

Analog Computer:
The aspect of analog Computer deals with quantities that are continuously varied, it
measures rather than counts. This type of Computer sets up a model of a system.
Common type signifies it variables in terms of electrical voltage and sets up circuit
analog to the equation linking the variables

Hybrid Computer:
A hybrid Computer is a type of Computer that is planned to provide the types and
functions that are seen by both the digital and the analog computers

Mini Computer:
MiniComputer is a small scale device that functions as a Computer with radios
attached to it. Capable of performing tasks like browsing the internet, sending emails,
similar to desktops and laptops but in a more compact form

Personal Computer:
A personal computer, often referred to as a PC or simply computer, is a Computer
designed for individual use

Pilot Answers for Study Session on Characteristics of a Computer System

iv. List major characteristics of a Computer System

Below are some characteristics of a computer.
Speed: The Computer can manipulate large Data at incredible speed and response time
can be very fast.

Accuracy: Its accuracy is very high and its consistency can be relied upon. Errors
committed in computing are mostly due to human rather than technological weakness.
There are in-built-error detecting schemes in the computer.

Storage: It has both internal and external storage facilities for holding Data and
instructions. This capacity varies from one machine to the other. Memories are built up in
K(Kilo) modules where K = 1024 memory locations.

Automatic: Once a program is in the computer‘s memory, it can run automatically each
time it is opened. The individual has little or no instruction to give again.
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Reliability: Being a machine, a Computer does not suffer human traits of tiredness and
lack of concentration. It will perform the last job with the same speed and accuracy as the
first job every time even if ten million jobs are involved.

Flexibility: It can perform any type of task once it is reduced to logical steps. Modern
computers can be used to perform a variety of functions like on-line processing, multi-
programming, real time processing etc.

v. Highlight the basic elements of a Computer System

i Mouse
ii. Keyboard
iii. Hard disk
iv. CPU
v. Monitor

vi. Explain the following terms;

Mouse: Mouse is used for operating the system. Nowadays, optical mouse is more
popular as compared to simple mouse.

Keyboard: Keyboard is used to input Data in to the system so that the system gives
output to the user. Therefore, the keyboard is an integral part of the input system. A
Computer is essentially incomplete without a keyboard.

Monitor: Monitor, is another very essential part of the Computer System that displays
the actions that the Computer performs on our command.

Motherboard: Motherboard is a necessary element of the Computer System . It

contains different elements as memory, processor, modem slots for graphic card and
LAN card.

Further Readings
1. Codecademy
2. Coursera - Computer Science 101
3. edX - Introduction to Computer Science in Python
4. GeeksforGeeks
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References
1. "Introduction to Algorithms" by Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L.
Rivest, and Clifford Stein
2. "Computer Science: An Overview" by J. Glenn Brookshear
3. "Introduction to Computer Science" by John Guttag
4. "Computer Organization and Design" by David A. Patterson and John L. Hennessy
5. "Data Structures and Algorithms in Python" by Michael T. Goodrich, Roberto
Tamassia, and Michael H. Goldwasser
6. "Computer Organization and Design" Worksheet by Coursera (online worksheet,
2022)
7. "Computer Architecture" Study Guide by edX (online study guide, 2022)
8. "Digital Design" Practice Problems by Udemy (online practice problems, 2022)

K. Recommended books/Materials /Web Documents

1. "Computer Organization" Practice Questions by GeeksforGeeks (online practice

questions, 2022)
2. "Computer Architecture" Quizzes by tutorialspoint (online quizzes, 2022)
3. "Digital Design" Exercises by Codecademy (online exercises, 2022)
4. "Computer Organization and Design" Study Notes by EasyEngineering (online
study notes, 2022)
5. "Computer Architecture" Lecture Notes by NPTEL (online lecture notes, 2022)
6. "Digital Design" Tutorials by TutorialsPoint (online tutorials, 2022)
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Glossary of Terms
1. Computer System A collection of hardware components (such as the CPU, memory, storage
devices, input/output devices) and software programs that work together to perform tasks,
process Data, and produce outputs efficiently.
2. Data Raw, unorganized facts or figures that represent values related to objects, events, or
phenomena. Data can include numbers, text, images, or sound, but in raw form, it has no
meaning until processed.
3. Information Processed or organized Data that is meaningful and useful for decision-making.
Information provides context, relevance, and purpose to raw Data.
4. Electronic Data Processing (EDP) The use of computer-based systems to automate the
collection, processing, storage, and retrieval of Data, making Data handling more efficient and
less error-prone.
5. Entities Objects or things of importance in a particular context, such as students, courses, or
publications, which can have associated Data representing their attributes.
6. Entity-Relationship Model (E-R Model) A diagrammatic technique used to visually represent
entities (objects) and the relationships between them in a Database system, aiding in Database
design.
7. Data Integrity The accuracy, consistency, and reliability of Data stored in a Database or
system over time. Ensuring Data integrity involves validation rules and constraints to prevent
errors and invalid Data entry.
8. Data Redundancy The unnecessary duplication of Data within systems or Databases;
excessive redundancy can lead to inconsistencies, increased storage costs, and maintenance
difficulties.
9. Database Management System (DBMS) Software that enables users to define, create,
maintain, and manipulate Databases. It ensures Data security, integrity, and ease of access,
supporting multiple users and applications.
10. Internet Technologies Systems, protocols, and tools used to enable communication, Data
exchange, and services over the internet. Examples include HTTP/HTTPS, email protocols, and
web browsers.
11. Word Processing Using software to create, edit, format, and print text documents. Examples
include Microsoft Word and Google Docs, which support features like spell check, formatting,
and graphics insertion.
12. Distance Learning An educational method where students learn remotely, often via online
platforms, without attending physical classrooms, allowing flexibility in time and location.
13. E-learning Learning that is implemented via electronic means, primarily through internet-
enabled devices, incorporating multimedia content, interactive modules, and assessments.
14. Learning Support Devices Tools and resources provided to students to enhance learning,
especially in remote or online environments, including tutorials, videos, simulations, and
interactive software.
15. User Interface Elements Facilitative components such as mouse pointers, scrollbars, cursors,
menus, toolbars, and status bars that enable users to interact with and control software
applications effectively.
16. Course Objectives (Student Learning Objectives - SLOs) Specific goals that define what
students are expected to learn or achieve after completing a course or module, guiding
instruction and assessment.
17. Removable Storage Devices Portable hardware used to store and transfer Data easily, such as
USB flash drives, external hard drives, SD cards, and DVDs.
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18. Hardware The physical parts of a Computer System , including input devices (keyboard,
mouse), output devices (monitor, printer), storage media (hard disk), and processing units
(CPU).
19. Software The collection of programs, applications, and operating systems that instruct hardware
to perform tasks.
20. Central Processing Unit (CPU) The brain of the Computer that performs instructions,
processes Data, and manages system operations.
21. Input Devices Hardware components used to enter Data into the computer, e.g., keyboard,
mouse, scanner.
22. Output Devices Hardware that displays or presents Data processed by the computer, e.g.,
monitor, printer, speakers.
23. Storage Devices Hardware used to store Data persistently, such as hard disks, SSDs, flash
drives, and optical discs.
24. Data Processing The process of converting raw Data into meaningful Information through
operations such as sorting, calculating, summarizing, and organizing.
25. Characteristic of Computer System : Speed The ability of a Computer to perform tasks
rapidly, manipulating large amounts of Data at high speeds.
26. Characteristic of Computer System : Accuracy The degree to which a Computer produces
correct and consistent results without errors.
27. Characteristic of Computer System : Storage The capacity to hold Data and instructions
either temporarily (RAM) or permanently (hard drive).
28. Characteristic of Computer System : Automatic A feature whereby computers execute
stored instructions automatically after setup, requiring minimal human intervention.
29. Characteristic of Computer System : Reliability The capability of a Computer System to
perform consistently without failure over time, unaffected by fatigue or emotions.
30. Characteristic of Computer System : Flexibility The ability of a Computer to perform
different tasks once programmed, accommodating various functions like real-time processing or
multi-tasking.