How a Computer Works
Part 2: Memory
Memory Purposes
• Storage of data (as on a ____________)
• Transfer of data (as with __________________)
• Processing of data (as with ________)
Size Matters!
• Storage is in terms of volume
Units =bytes (____)
• Transfer and processing are in terms of speed
Transfer Units = bits per second (_______) or bytes per second (_______)
Processing Unit = Hertz (_____)
Bigger and faster are generally better, but as size and speed increase, sometimes heat and size of
the apparatus are issues.
Examples
• Early personal computers ($1298 Apple II)
Storage= 4 KB (RAM) Processing = 1 MHz
• Early modems (transfer) = 300 bits per second (bps)
• Modern personal computers
Storage= 3 GB (RAM) Processing = 2 GHz
• Modern (telephone) modems = 56,600 bps
• Cable transfer = many MB per second
Relative Sizes
1 byte = 8 bits
Kilobyte = KB = 1024 bytes
Megabyte = MB = 1024 KB
Gigabyte = GB = 1024 MB
Terabyte = TB = 1024 GB
Doing the Math…
• Use unit conversion/factor labeling to solve problems; writing in units will verify that you’ve
set up your equation correctly.
• Ex. 1: If an early computer used 4 KB of memory, and a modern computer one million times
this amount of memory, how many GB of memory does a modern computer have?
• Ex. 2: How long does it take to transfer a 5 MB file over a 56,600 bps modem?
