COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS AND OFFICE AUTOMATION
UNIT: I
Number Systems, Evolution, Block Diagram and Generations:
Number Systems: Binary, Decimal, Octal, Hexadecimal;
conversions between number systems. Evolution of Computers:
History from early mechanical devices to modern-day systems.
Block Diagram of a Computer: Components like Input Unit,
Output Unit, Memory, CPU (ALU + CU). Generations of
Computers: First to Fifth Generation – technologies,
characteristics, examples.
Number Systems: There are many number systems to represent
numerical values. Radix “r“ is the base of a number system that
specifies how many different symbols are used in that number system.
Commonly used number systems are
1. Decimal Number System
2. Binary Number System
3. Octal Number System
4. Hexadecimal Number System.
Decimal Number System: The decimal number system has 10 as radix.
Thus 10 different symbols are used in decimal number system i.e. 0, 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. It is commonly used number system by the
user to supply data into the computer.
Ex:- 724.5 = 7 * 102 + 2 * 101 + 4 * 100 + 5 * 10-1
Binary Number System: The binary number system has 2 as radix. Thus
2 different symbols are used in binary number system i.e. 0 and 1. It is
the number system that is directly understandable by the computer.
Ex: - (1010)2 = 1 * 23 + 0 * 22 + 1 * 21 + 0 * 20 = 10
Octal Number System: The octal number system has 8 as radix. Thus 8
different symbols are used in octal number system are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
and 7. It is used to specify the memory addresses.
Ex: - (736.4)8 = 7 X 82 + 3 X 81 + 6 x 80 + 4 x 8-1 = (478.5)10
Hexadecimal Number System: The hexadecimal number system has 16
as radix. Thus 16 different symbols are used in hexadecimal number
system are 0, 1,2,3,4,5,6, 7, 8, 9, A., B, C, D, E, and F. The six symbols
A, B, C, D, E, F correspond to the decimal numbers 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,
15, respectively. It is used to specify the memory addresses.
(F3)16 = F x 161 + 3 x 160 == 15 x 16 + 3 x 1 = (243)10
Conversions between number systems: Since each system uses a
different base, we often need to convert numbers from one system to
another. There are 8 main types of conversions among these number
systems. They are
1. Conversion of other bases to Decimal number system
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COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS AND OFFICE AUTOMATION
UNIT: I
2. Conversion of Decimal number system to other Base
3. Conversion of Binary number to Octal number system
4. Conversion of Binary number to Hexadecimal number system
5. Conversion of Octal to Binary number system
6. Conversion of Hexadecimal number system to Binary number
7. Conversion of Octal number to Hexadecimal number system
8. Conversion of Hexadecimal number system to Octal number
Conversion of other bases to Decimal number system: The conversion
of a number with base r to decimal number system is the sum of the
products of the face value into the place value.
Ex: Convert (101001.1011)2 to Decimal number system.
(101001.1011)2 = 1*25+0*24+1*23+0*22+0*21+1*20+1*2-1+0*2-2+1*2-
3
+1*2-4
= ( 41.6875 )10
Ex: - Convert ( 51.54)8 to Decimal number system.
( 51.54)8 = 5*81+1*80+5*8-1+4*8-2
= ( 41.6875 )10
Ex: - Convert ( 25.B )16 to Decimal number system.
( 29.B )16 = 2*161+9*160+11*16-1
= ( 41.6875 )10
Conversion of Decimal number system to other Base: Conversion from
decimal to other number system with radix r is carried out by
separating the number into its integer and fraction parts and converting
each part separately.
The conversion of a decimal integer into a base r representation is
done by successive divisions by r and collecting the remainders from
bottom to top.
The conversion of a decimal fraction to radix r representation is
accomplished by successive multiplications by r and collecting the
integer digits from top to bottom.
Ex: - Convert ( 41.6875 )10 into binary, octal and hexadecimal number
system.
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UNIT: I
Thus (41.6875)10 = (101001.1011)2
Thus (41.6875)10 = ( 51.54)8
Thus (41.6875)10 = ( 29.B )16
Conversion of Binary number to Octal number system: The conversion
from binary to octal is easily accomplished by partitioning the binary
number into groups of three bits each. The corresponding octal digit is
then assigned to each group of bits and the string of digits so obtained
gives the octal equivalent of the binary number.
Ex: Convert (101001.1011)2to Octal number system.
Conversion of Binary number to Hexadecimal number system: The
conversion from binary to octal is easily accomplished by partitioning
the binary number into groups of four bits each. The corresponding
hexadecimal digit is then assigned to each group of bits and the string
of digits so obtained gives the hexadecimal equivalent of the binary
number.
Ex: Convert (101001.1011)2to hexadecimal number system.
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Conversion of Octal to Binary number system : The Maximum digit in
the octal number system is 7 and it requires minimum of three bits to
represent it in the binary number. So for a given octal number represent
each digit by its three bit binary number.
Ex: - Convert ( 51.54)8 to Binary number system.
( 51.54)8 = (101001.101100)2
Conversion of Hexadecimal to Binary number system :- The Maximum
digit in the hexadecimal number system is 15(i.e F) and it requires
minimum of four bits to represent it in the binary number. So for a given
hexadecimal number represent each digit by its four bit binary number.
Ex: - Convert (25.B )16to Binary number system.
(29.B )16= (00101001.1011)2
Conversion of Octal number to Hexadecimal number system:- There is
no direct conversion of octal number to hexadecimal number. There are
two methods for conversion. They are
1. OctalBinaryHexadecimal
2. OctalDecimalHexadecimal
Ex: Convert ( 51.54)8 to hexadecimal number system.
( 51.54)8 = (101001.101100)2 = (29.B )16
( 51.54)8 = ( 41.6875 )10 = (29.B )16
Conversion of Hexadecimal number to Octal number system:- There is
no direct conversion of octal number to hexadecimal number. There are
two methods for conversion. They are
1. Hexadecimal BinaryOctal
2. Hexadecimal DecimalOctal
Ex: Convert (29.B )16 to octal number system.
(29.B )16 = (101001.1011)2 = ( 51.54)8
(29.B )16 = ( 41.6875 )10 = ( 51.54)8
Evolution of Computers: Computer Evolution is the process that the
computer has underdone during their development. Milestones are the
key innovations or events that had great impact in development of
modern computer. Some of them are
Abacus: The abacus was developed during 16th Century in China. It is
also called as a counting frame, and used as a calculating tool. It is the
First Mechanical calculator used in those days.
Pascal’s Calculator: It was developed by Blaise Pascal in 1642. It has
complicated set of gears that operated similarly to clock. It was
designed to only perform addition.
Difference engine: It was developed by Charles Babbage in 1823. It is
an automatic mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial
functions.
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UNIT: I
Analytical Engine: It was developed by Charles Babbage in 1837. It is
the First mechanical general-purpose computer.
ENIAC: Electronic Numerical Integartor and Computer: It was developed
by John Presper Eckert & John W Mauchly in 1946. It was First electronic
general-purpose computer.
EDSAC: Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator: It was developed
by John von Neumann in 1949. It was First computer to store program.
EDVAC: Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer: It was
developed by John Presper Eckert & John W Mauchly in 1949. It was a
binary serial computer which performed all arithmetic operations.
UNIVAC: Universal Automatic Computer: It was developed by John
Presper Eckert & John W Mauchly in [Link] was First general-purpose
computer for commercial use.
Block Diagram of a Computer: Computer is an electronic device
which takes input data, process it and produces the output. A Block
diagram of a computer is a diagram which displays the main parts of
the computer. It is shown in the figure below. It contains
1. Input Unit
2. Output Unit
3. Storage Unit
4. Control Unit
5. Arithmetic Logic Unit
Input Unit: An input unit is used to enter data and instructions into the
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UNIT: I
compute from outside world. Commonly used input devices are
keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone, webcam etc.
Output Unit: An output unit is used to send results from a computer to
outside world. Commonly used output devices are monitor, printer,
projector, speaker etc.
Storage Unit: A storage unit is used to store instructions and data in the
computer. A computer has two types of storage areas. They are
1. Primary Storage
2. Secondary Storage
Primary Storage: Primary Storage is also known as main memory.
Commonly used primary storage devices are Random Access
Memory(RAM) and Read Only Memory(ROM).
RAM: RAM is directly accessible by the CPU at high speed. It stores the
currently executing program, data and recently generated results. It is
volatile in nature. That is data is lost when powered off or when the
computer jumps to the next work.
ROM: ROM is a Read Only Memory. It is primarily used to store firmware
or permanent instructions necessary for the computer's basic
operations, such as booting up the system.
Secondary Storage: Secondary Storage is also called as auxiliary
memory. It is a non-volatile memory. That is it retains its data even
when the power is turned off. It is cheaper and used for storing the large
amounts of data permanently. Commonly used secondary storage
devices Hard disks, pen drives etc.
Control Unit: A control unit is an unit which controls and coordinates all
other parts of the computer. It is the unit which understands the
instructions given to the computer and directs other parts to do their
work.
Arithmetic Logic Unit: Arithmetic Logic Unit is a unit which performs
arithmetic and logical operations. It works similar to calculator. Common
arithmetic operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division and common logical operations are greater than, lessthan,
equal to etc.
Generation of Computers: Generation in computer terminology is a
change in technology in the computer development process. Till now
there are 5 generations of computers. They are
1. First Generation Computers
2. Second Generation Computers
3. Third Generation Computers
4. Fourth Generation Computers
5. Fifth Generation Computers
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UNIT: I
First Generation Computers: First generation computers used vacuum
tubes as major components. Computers developed during the period
1940 and 1956 are termed as first generation computers. These
computers could be programmed using machine language.
Second Generation Computers: Second generation computers used
transistors as major components. Computers developed during the
period 1956 and 1963 are termed as second generation computers.
These computers could be programmed using assembly language.
Third Generation Computers: Third generation computers used
Integrated circuits(IC’s) as major components. Computers developed
during the period 1964 and 1971 are termed as third generation
computers. These computers could be programmed using high level
language.
Fourth Generation Computers: Fourth generation computers used
microprocessor as major components. Computers developed during the
period 1971 and 1989 are termed as fourth generation computers.
These computers could be programmed using non procedural
languages.
Fifth Generation Computers: The fifth generation computers are
completely based on a new concept of artificial intelligence. Although
such computers are still in development, there are certain applications
like voice recognition which is widely being used today. The two most
common programming languages used in fifth generation are LISP and
Prolog.
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