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Computer Data
To help understand computers it is best to first
learn about computer data. Computer data is information required by the
computer to be able to operate. It is used to:
Data
Structure
Word - Two bytes or 16 bits of data with a possible
unsigned value from 0 to 16535.
Data
transmission
- Run programs - This is
the actual executable program data that the computer will execute to run
the program such as Microsoft Word.
- Store program or system
configuration information.
- Store information that
the computer user needs such as text files or other files that are
associated with the program the computer user is running. A common example
of a program the computer user is running is the Microsoft Office suite of
products which include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and others. These
programs are also known as applications.
Data
Structure
Computer data is in what is called binary format.
This means that it is always a 0 or a 1. It only has these two states and must
be in one of them.
There are several fundamental data units which
include:
- Bit - A data unit
which must be in one of the two binary states described above. It is the
smallest data unit that exists.
- Byte - 8 bits of
data which has a possible value from 0 to 255.
Word - Two bytes or 16 bits of data with a possible
unsigned value from 0 to 16535.
Data
transmission
Data transmission is the act of sending data from
one place to another. Data is transmitted both inside and outside your
computer. There are two fundamental methods of data transmission.
- Serial - Data is sent on
a single line and one bit is sent at at a time. This is similar to a line
which one item must come one after another.
- Parallel - Data is sent on more than one line at a time. This may be any number of bits at a time, but is usually one word at a time (two bytes) or possibly three bytes at a time.
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