How does a computer work?
Patricia Ndlovu
Pexels; Pixabay
English
First paragraphs
Computers work with information called data.
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Data can be in the form of letters, numbers, pictures, and sounds.
1
When you put information into a computer, you input data.
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Typing on a computer keyboard is one way to input data.
2
We use these tools to input data to a computer:
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keyboard (1)
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mouse (2)
3
We use these tools to input data in the form of sound and pictures:
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microphone (3)
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camera (4)
4
We also get data from a computer.
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The data we get from a computer is called output.
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A loudspeaker (5) and a screen (6) give us output.
5
A screen (6) gives output in pictures, letters, and numbers.
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Loudspeakers and earphones (7) give output as sounds.
6
Hardware are the physical parts of the computer; the parts you can touch.
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The screen, keyboard, speakers, mouse, microphone, and headphones are all hardware.
7
A computer needs software for us to be able to use it.
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Software gives instructions to the computer about how to work with different data.
8
Programs and applications are forms of software.
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For example, you need a camera application on a smartphone to take photographs and videos.
9
If you look inside a computer, you will see many small parts called computer chips.
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Computer chips process information to make the computer work.
10

——Questions


  1. What do you call the information in a computer?
  2. A keyboard and a mouse are tools are examples of ….
  3. What do we call data we get from a computer?
  4. Give two examples of hardware.
  5. What is software?
11

——


This book is the second one in a series of four books introducing topics in computer technology.
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The storybook was created for the Zenex Ulwazi Lwethu reading materials project in 2021.
12
Attribution CC BY
Your attribution should include the following:
Title: How does a computer work?
Author/s: Patricia Ndlovu
Translator/s: Patricia Ndlovu
Illustrator/s: Pexels; Pixabay
Assurer/s: African Storybook
Language: English

© Zenex Foundation - Saide 2024

CC BY includes the following elements:
 BY   – Credit must be given to the creator