Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)

SUBJECT: DATA PROCESSING

TEACHER
SOLOMON ISAAC

REFERENCES
- DATA PROCESSING for SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION by HiiTPlc
- ONLINE MATERIALS

SCHEME OF WORK
WEEKS TOPICS
1 Introduction to Data Processing
2 History of Computing 1: Computing Devices
3 History of Computing 2: Generation of Computers
4 Digitalization of Data
5 Data and Information
6–7 Mid-Term Assessment
8–9 Classification of Computers
10 The Art of Information Processing
11 – 13 Revision and Examination

INTRODUCTION TO DATA PROCESSING (Week 1)

What is Data?
The term data means any basic fact which may be input to some processing system.

What is a Processing System?

A processing system is one where computations, comparisons and general manipulation of data are done. The processing
may be people or machine e.g the computer.

What is Information?
Information on the other hand, is the end – result of a processing system. The information is needed by management for
decision making. The relationship between data and information is shown in the diagram below:

INPUT PROCESSING OUTPUT

What is Data Processing?

Data processing is the task of using a collection of basic facts to produce useful information, usually it has no value in itself
until it is subjected to analysis, validations and comparisons with other data to produce result (information), for example a
collection of weights of individuals do not turn useful information for decision making. However when the set of data is
processed such as searching for individual with a maximum or minimum weight or the weight of all concerned in the study,
information is produced. Management can decide on the basis of each information to assign special duties to the fellow with
the maximum or minimum weight. Other use could be made on such information depending upon the situation prevailing on
the organization and their special needs.

Therefore, Data processing is an operation on computer data which involves the entering, sorting, updating and
retrieving of information using computer.

Adorable International High School (AIHS)

Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)
Properties of Data
1. Collected/Captured
2. Prepared
3. Presented
4. Precise
5. Complete
6. Accurate
7. Purposeful
8. Assigned
Data Processing Cycles
The data processing cycle describes the stages of data processing. It involves the following stages:

• Data gathering
• Data collation
• Input stage
• Processing stage
• Storage stage
• Output stage

Element of Data Processing

Data is often required for various purposes. Even the same item of data may be used in a great variety of ways depending
upon the user’s objectives. Most data processing work may be viewed as consisting of data, processor and output. Usually,
storage also features since both data and program instructions need to be stored.

Data processing activities involve the following:

1. INPUT: involves three steps; collection, verification/validation and coding

2. PROCESSING : involves classification, sorting, calculating, converting and storing
3. OUTPUT: involve retrieving, converting and communication.

Input Activity
a) Collection: involves gathering data from various sources and assembling it at one location.
b) Verification/Validation: after data have been gathered, its accuracy and completeness must be checked. This is an
important step that helps to eliminate the possibility of Garbage-In – Garbage-out (GIGO)
c) Code: data must be converted into machine readable form so that it can be entered into the processing system. Entering
data via a computer terminal and keyboard is one example of coding.

Processing Activity
a) Classification: Classification involves categorizing data according to certain characteristics to make it meaningful to
the user. For example, sales data can be grouped according to salesperson, product type, customer or any other
classification useful to management.
b) Sort: This involves arranging the grouped data element into predetermined sequence to facilitate processing. For
example, an employee number can be last. Sorting can be done on numbers, letters, special characters or a combination
of them. After it has been classified, data may be stored.
c) Calculation: The arithmetical or logical manipulation of data is referred to as calculation. Examples include
computation of students’ grade –point averages, customers’ bank balances and employee’s wages.
d) Summarize: Reducing large amount of data to concise, usable form is called summarizing. The logical reduction of
data is necessary to provide information that is useful.
e) Store: this involves the storing of data not immediately needed; data could be stored on a disk, tape or CD-ROM.

Adorable International High School (AIHS)

Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)
Output Activity
This involves retrieving data, printing data and data communication

Importance of Data Processing

The art of management is increasing as our society becomes more competitive and more technologically advance. The
volume of data being generated is correspondingly increasing and becoming unmanageable. On the other hand, the need to
make information available, timely and accurately is becoming more vital in the competitive world in which we have found
ourselves. It is when a large volume of data is required to be processed speedily and accurately that Data Processing
becomes indispensable.

• Report making is simplified

• Cost is reduced
• Speed, Accurate and more reliable
• Storage and distribution is easy when data is processed
• Safe and secure
• Yield better result and increase productivity

General Evaluation
1. What is data processing?
2. Describe a typical data processing cycle.
3. Explain each of the properties of Data listed above
4. Describe what is involved in each stage of data processing.
5. Why is computer a better tool for data processing?
6. Discuss why data processing is important in business organization.

HISTORY OF COMPUTING (Week 2&3)

The pre computer age to the 19th century computing devices were the early computing devices that were designed to help
man perform some calculations, these devices were either mechanical or electromechanical devices meaning that they
contained numerous moving parts. These moving parts were complicated to manufacture, difficult to maintain and above all,
relatively slow.

Early Mechanical Counting/Calculating Devices

1. Abacus
2. Slide rule
3. John Napier bone
4. Blaize Pascal machine
5. Gottfried Leitbnitz machine
6. Joseph Jacquard Loom
7. Charles Babbage analytical machine

Early Electronic Counting Devices:

1. Herman Hollerith punch card
2. John Von Neumann machine

Adorable International High School (AIHS)

Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)
Man has put in every effort to have better methods of calculations. As a result of man’s search for fast and accurate
calculating devices, the computer was developed. Essentially, there are three kinds of calculating devices: manual,
mechanical and automatic.

Abacus
The first calculating device was probably Abacus. The Chinese invented it. It is still in use in some countries because of its
simple operation. It is made up of a frame divided into two parts by a horizontal bar and vertical threads. Each thread
contains some beads. It was used to calculate simple addition and subtraction.

Napier’s Bone
The need for a better calculating device was felt as time passed. John Napier, a Scottish mathematician, invented a set of
eleven rods, with four sides each which was used as a multiplication tool. These rods were made from bones and this was
the reason why they were called Napier Bones. The rods had numbers marked in such a way that, by placing them side by
side, products and quotients of large numbers can be obtained.

Pascaline
The first mechanical calculating machine was invented in 1642, by Blaize Pascal, a French mathematician. Numbers were
entered by dialling a series of numbered wheels in this machine. A sequence of wheels transferred the movements to a dial,
which showed the result.

Through addition and subtraction were performed the normal way, the device could perform division by repeated
subtraction and multiplication by repeated addition.

Adorable International High School (AIHS)

Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)

Leibnitz Calculating Machine

Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibnitz invented a computer that was built in 1694. It could add and after changing some things
around, it could multiply. Leibnitz invented a special stepped gear mechanism for introducing the added digits and this is
still being used.

Jacquard’s Loom
Jacquard’s loom was one of the first machines that were run by a program. Joseph Jacquard changed the weaving industry
by creating a loom that controlled the raising of the thread through punched cards. Jacquard’s loom used lines of holes on a
card to represent the weaving pattern.

Punched Card
During the years1920 and 1930, the punched card system developed steadily. A standard card was divided into 80 columns
and 12 rows. Only one character could be represented in the 80 columns, thus providing a maximum of 80 characters per
card. Punching one, two or three holes in any one column represented a character. Holes were punched into a blank card by
a punch machine whose keyboard resembled that of a typewriter.

Number System (Revision)

To effectively use the computer, it is therefore necessary to know how data is represented and communicated to it. There are
different ways of representing data in the number system, namely:

1. Decimal System (Base 10)

2. Binary System (Base 2)
3. Octal System (Base 8)
4. Hexadecimal Number System. (Base 16)

Adorable International High School (AIHS)

Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)
Generations of Computers
First Generation
Electronic machine which was distinct from mechanical computers evolved about 1945/6. ENIAC,EDVAC, HARVARD
MARK I and UNIVAC is a good example of this generation of computers. John Mauchly and Presper Eckert designed
ENIAC which incorporated 18,000 electronic valves.
Features
1. They used Vacuum tubes.
2. They were very large and expensive.
3. They were very bulky.
4. They had a low retentive memory.
5. They generated a lot of heat.

Second Generation
Second generation computers were the replacement of vacuum tubes. Second generation computers utilized primary discrete
TRANSISTORS. They had limited capability but were more advanced than the first generation computers.
Features
1. They were more reliable than the first generation.
2. They could perform calculations.
3. They had a more efficient storage facility.
4. They generated lesser heat compared with the first generated computers.

Third Generation
Third generation computers utilized INTEGRATED CIRCUIT [ICs] technology, Small Scale Integration [SSI] with more
sophisticated software capability like multi-programming, multiprocessing and operating systems as resource managers.
Features:
1. Faster input and output.
2. Increased storage capability
3. Increased process capability
4. Ability to display pictures and musical sound

Fourth Generation
Fourth generation computers appeared at about 1975. The technologies that characterized these machines were LARGE
SCALE INTEGRATION (LSI) and VERY LARGE SCALE INTEGRATION (VLSI). The computers produced at this
period were of a higher capability in terms of speed, storage and of superior performance over their counterparts of the third
generation.

Fifth Generation
These generations of computers made use of ARTFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI). This category of computer was built
around the following objects.
1. To build super computer i.e computers which could perform operation in the range of 10 billion instructions per
seconds.
2. They were designed to have capacities like sight and hearing as well as capability to stimulate human thoughts e.g
robots.

Adorable International High School (AIHS)

Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)
Generations Year of The Characteristics Software Instruction Storage
Of development Technology Capacity
computers Used
First 1951-1958 Vacuum Very big and Machine language Small
tube slow in internal
operation storage
Second 1959-1964 Transistor Less heat High level & Core
generation Assembly storage
Third 1965-1975 100-1000 Introduction of Multiprogramming Internal
Chips integrated Facilities
circuit
Fourth 1975-1982 1000 above VLSIC Introduction of Non- Flexible
procedural language internal
&
external
storage
Fifth 1982 and 106chips AI and Expert Introduction of Small but
above system object oriented powerful
programming network
language

General Evaluation
1. The first generation uses …… as its circuitry.
2. List four features of the second generation computer.
3. What is the difference between AI and Expert system?
4. VLSI means ……….
DIGITALIZATION OF DATA (Week 4)
Digitalization is the process of converting information into digital format. This information may represent an object, image,
sound, document or a signal (usually an analog signal) organized into discrete set of its points or samples. This is the binary
data that computers and many devices with computing capacity (such as digital camera and digital hearing aids) can
process.
Digitalization can also be defined as the integration of digital technologies into everyday life. Digital system uses a binary
numeric system in which electronic pulses are represented by either 0 for a Low pulse or 1 for a High pulse. Digital can
more easily represent symbols such as alphanumeric characters that represent real world data than the analog system.

Benefits of Digitalization
1. Long term preservation of documents
2. Orderly archiving of documents
3. Easy and customized access to information
4. Easy information dissemination through images and text, CD-ROM, Internet, Intranet and extranets.

Technology of Different Information Age

The ages are:
1. Stone age
2. Iron age
3. Middle age

Adorable International High School (AIHS)

Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)
4. Industrial age
5. Electronic age
Information Tools used Purpose Time period Examples of
age tools in that
age
Stone age Stone Sewing, cutting, counting, Below 12th Basalt,
defence, transaction, storage, century sandstone flint
pottery exhibitions. etc.
Iron age Iron Defence, Agric 12thcentury Hoes and
cutlass
Middle age Writing Knowledge transfer, 12th and 13th Pen feather etc
materials education century
Industrial age Coals Power development, faster Late 18th and Cars, Ships etc
movement early 19th
century
Electronic age Computer Storage, accuracy, soeed. Late 19th century Circuit,
Timeliness and above Processor.

General Evaluation
1. State the different information ages, tools used, purpose, time period and examples of tools used during those
periods.
DATA AND INFORMATION (Week 5)
What is Data?
The term data means any basic fact which may be input to some processing system.

Types Of Data
1. Qualitative data i.e descriptive information
2. Quantitative data i.e numeric information

Subdivision Of Quantitative Data

1. Continuous data: this can take any value. It is also known as measured data. It can take value within a range e.g 0-99,
10-20 etc.
2. Discrete data: this type of data is whole in nature. It is not continuous. It takes a whole numbers and also called
Counted data.

Forms Of Data

1. Numeric i. e 0-9
2. Letters i.e a-z or A-Z
3. Symbols e.g + , _ , * , % , = , <, >, etc
Examples of Data
Numbers, name of thing, place or animal, words, measurements, observations, descriptions of things etc.

Sources Of Data
Data can come from different sources depending on the importance of the data. The following are sources of data:
television, internet, articles, government documents and public records, newspaper, textbooks, biographies.

Adorable International High School (AIHS)

Data Processing Lesson Note – SSS1 (First Term)
Evaluation
1. Define data.
2. Explain the two types of data.
3. Mention any five sources of data.

Information
This refers to data that have been converted into a more meaningful and useful form. It refers to a processed data that is
meaningful to the user.

Examples Of Information
1. Student ID card
2. Weather reports
3. Student’s report card
4. International passport
5. Utility bills e.g PHCN bills, Water bills

Sources Of Information Internet, Database, Magazine/ Newspaper, Census board, Documents, Observation etc

Characteristics Of Good Information

1. Relevance: it must be relevant and good enough for its purpose.
2. Reliability: it must come from a reliable source.
3. Accuracy: it must be an end product of processed data. That is, it must be error-free.
4. Availability: it must be available and communicated to the user as at when it is needed.
5. Suitability: it must be expressed in the form the user of the information can understand it and of suitable for its
purpose.

Data Handling
This the process of ensuring that research data is stored, archived or disposed off in a safe and secure manner during and
after the conclusion of a research project.

Ways Of Handling Data

1. Electronic methods: Data can be handled electronically ensures data integrity. It includes personal digital assistants
(PDA), storage media, CD/DVD, MEMORY CARDS etc.
2. Non-Electronic methods: This method includes paper files, journals and laboratory notebooks. It is basically called
manual method in which human energy and effort are used to process data

General Evaluation
1. Mention any five sources of information.
2. Differentiate between data and information.
3. State any three forms of data.
4. Mention the two types of data
5. What is the difference between continuous data and discrete data?
6. Mention and explain the two ways of handling data.
7. Explain at least four characteristics of good information.

Adorable International High School (AIHS)