CS101: Introduction to Computer Science Saylor.org 1.2.1 Hardware vs. Software

Whitney Mergist

CS101: Introduction to Computer Science

Saylor.org

1.2.1 Hardware vs. Software

Lecture Questions

1) What do you think about the movie The Wizard of Oz?

a. I love it. My favorite song is “Somewhere over the rainbow.” However, I found that I like it more now than I did growing up because I saw Wicked when Broadway traveled to Salt Lake City.

2) Imagine that you have a copy of the book Tom Sawyer. You tear it to pieces and push the shreds through your garbage disposal. (It was probably assigned reading.) Have you destroyed the novel Tom Sawyer?

a. Yes and no. I have destroyed a copy of the novel Tom Sawyer, but not the novel as an entity. (The answer given was no)

3) Question 3: Is a mouse an input or output device?

a. Input device



4) Say that a computer adds 13 to 27. Where does this activity take place?

a. The processor

5) Which is fastest? Main memory or secondary memory?

a. Main memory

6) Imagine that you are using a computer to write a book report on Tom Sawyer. A) Where is the word processer program that you are running located? B)Where are the characters you have typed?

a. Main memory (copied from secondary memory, but in main memory while running)

b. Main memory (not in secondary memory until save)

7) Say that you have purchased the game Doom IV and have installed it on your computer. The game consists of A) a program that controls the action of the game and B) data (the images and other information). After installation where is each of these parts located in your computer system?

a. On the hard disk

b. On the hard disk

8) Do you think that data transfer from the network is slower or faster than from main memory?

a. Slower

9) Is a game controller an input device or an output device?

a. Input

10) Your automobile engine is controlled by a computer. Do you think that this computer has:
Input devices?
Output devices?
Main storage?
Secondary storage?

a. Yes to all except secondary storage. A hard disk wouldn’t last long installed next to a car engine

11) Which of the following can be saved on a disk?

A game program - YES

Accounting data (numbers) -YES

Audio data - YES

Graphics data -YES

Digital photographs -YES

Video data – YES



12) (Thought question:) Imagine that you have just turned on your computer and have not yet started any application. Are any programs running?

Yes the operating system is running

13)

(Review:) What component of a computer system holds the operating system when the computer is not running?

Hard disk

14) When an application stops running, do you think that it is copied from main memory back to the hard disk?

a. No – the hard disk already has a copy

15) Can a local area network be implemented using radio waves instead of cables?

a. Yes

16) When two computers communicate must they both use the same protocol?

a. Yes

17) With so many computers connected to the Web, do you suppose that there is trouble giving each computer its own address?

a. Yes

18) Can programs, as well as data, be exchanged over the Internet?

a. Yes. The hardware doesn’t distinguish between the information types.

19) When you click on a hyperlink will the URL in the address box change?

a. Yes.


Lecture Clippings:

Chapter 1 Quiz Results