B061- ICT Systems

Question 1

What is the basic structure of computers?

Answer 1

Input, processing, output, main or internal memory, backing storage.

Question 2

What is ‘hardware’?

Answer 2

‘Hardware’ is the physical components of the computer system that can be touched.

Question 3

Give four examples of hardware.

Answer 3

Monitor, keyboard, mouse, hard disk

Question 4

What is ‘software’?

Answer 4

‘Software’ is the set of instructions (code or program) that the computer follows.

Question 5

Give four examples of software.

Answer 5

Word processing software, web-authoring software, publication software, operating systems.

Question 6

What is the function of input devices?

Answer 6

Components for entering data.

Question 7

What is the function of output devices?

Answer 7

Components to show the result of processing.

Question 8

What is the function of processing?

Answer 8

Components that decide what instructions mean and what to do.

Question 9

What is the function of main and internal memory?

Answer 9

Components to store the data being used.

Question 10

What is the function of backing storage?

Answer 10

Components to store the data and/or instructions when the computer is switched off.

Question 11

What are the three main types of computer system?

Answer 11

Personal computers, mainframe computers and supercomputers.

Question 12

Give three examples of personal computers.

Answer 12

Laptop, desktop, notebook, tablet etc

Question 13

Name as many input devices as you can.

Answer 13

Joystick, keyboard, keypad, microphone, mouse, touch screen, webcam, sensors, remote control, graphics tablet etc.

Question 14

Name four output devices.

Answer 14

Monitor, printer, speakers, actuators

Question 15

What is the role of actuators?

Answer 15

Produces movement.

Question 16

Name three specialised input devices.

Answer 16

Braille keyboard, foot mouse, puff-suck switch

Question 17

Which type of printer is used at home and for general printing?

Answer 17

An inkjet printer.

Question 18

Which type of printer is used for printing in bulk quantities?

Answer 18

A laser printer.

Question 19

What are the two types of computer memory? What do they stand for?

Answer 19

ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory)

Question 20

What is flash memory? Give an example.

Answer 20

Flash memory does not lose data when a computer is switched off and is found in smartphones and USB sticks.

Question 21

What are hard disks used for?

Answer 21

Hard disks are used to store the operating system and data/files when computer power is turned off.

Question 22

True or false? Operating systems manage the use of the CPU, inputs and outputs, memory resources and the hardware.

Answer 22

True.

Question 23

What does utility software do?

Answer 23

Utility software manages the hard disk, compresses and/or encrypts files and scans for viruses.

Question 24

Give three types of application software used for creating and managing data and information.

Answer 24

Word processors, desktop publishings, spreadsheets, database management, multimedia software, presentation software, web-authoring software, programming software.

Question 25

Give three types of application software used for creating and managing still, moving and video images.

Answer 25

Photo editing software, animation software, video-editing software, graphics manipulation software.

Question 26

Give three types of application software used for communicating with others.

Answer 26

web-browsing software, communications software (such as social networking software), gaming software.

Question 27

How is program code produced?

Answer 27

Editors are used to type and create source code (instructions not understood by computers), compliers convert the source code in to object code (understood by computers), debuggers find errors in code, linkers join the different parts of code, interpreters change the code from one computer language to another.

Question 28

What does CLI stand for?

Answer 28

Command Line Interface.

Question 29

What is a command line interface?

Answer 29

A black box that is where commands are manually entered.

Question 30

What does GUI stand for?

Answer 30

Graphic User Interface.

Question 31

What is a graphic user interface?

Answer 31

The pictures, images and other buttons that users click on in order to access a particular part of the computer and choose options.

Question 32

Give three advantages to using a GUI.

Answer 32

The user does not need detailed knowledge of the computer. It restricts user access to the system. The user doesn't need to know commands.

Question 33

Give three advantages to using a CLI.

Answer 33

Allows access to all of the system. Complex commands can be used. Repetitive commands can be used to carry out sequences of tasks.

Question 34

Give three disadvantages of using a GUI.

Answer 34

It does not access all of the system. It requires a large amount of main memory. Needs more processing power than CLI.

Question 35

Give three disadvantages of using a CLI.

Answer 35

It isn't easy for most users to use. You need to know the details of the commands and how they work. It gives access to all the system making it easy to make mistakes and cause damage.

Question 36

What three things are file type extensions used for?

Answer 36

Used to tell the operating system what is in the file, which software application created the file and which software application should open the file.

Question 37

Give three file type extensions used for image files.

Answer 37

jpg, gif, png, tif

Question 38

Give two file type extensions used for audio files.

Answer 38

WAV, mp3

Question 39

Give two file type extensions used for video files.

Answer 39

mpeg2, mpeg4

Question 40

Give three file type extensions used for document files.

Answer 40

doc, xls, ppt, txt, rtf

Question 41

Why do some operating systems use other extensions, such as a command, and not file type extensions to find out the type of file and decide what should be done with it?

Answer 41

Because some operating systems can look inside the file and examine its contents.