Functional parts of a computer

The data processing in a computer requires recording, storage, processing and output.

In fairly standard computer terminology, the recording is called input, and the, processing is conventionally called arithmetic. The memory and storage are used interchange­ably. Control tells the rest of the machine what to do.

Fig. 1 may be of assistance in visualizing the interrela­tionships between the functions of computer.

The input section consists of devices which take informa­tion from punched cards, paper tape, or other devices and place it into memory. In technical language this is called rea­ding. The function of the input device is essentially to trans­late from the external form in which the information is rep­resented, such as holes in a punched card, to the form in which the same information is stored in memory. The infor­mation in question may be anything which can be stored in memory: numbers to be used in the calculation, instructions which tell the machine what to do, numbers or letters to be used later as column headings on the output, names and addresses, etc. The single arrow from the input box to the memory box in Fig. l implies that the information goes only to memory; further operations must move the information from memory to the other sections of the machine.

The memory of a computer is the nerve center of the ma­chine. All information being processed must travel through it. All numbers must be in it before any arithmetic manipu­lations can be carried out. All the instructions which tell the machine what to do must be in memory before they can go over to the control section. The memory needs to be large and fast, i.e., it should be able to hold many numbers or instructions and be able to send these to the arithmetic or control sections with a minimum delay—as short as a frac­tion of a microsecond (millionth of a second). Since it is not technically or economically feasible to build a high-speed memory large enough to hold all the information required, a solution is to store the part not currently needed in a larger, but slower, auxiliary device. As indicated in Fig. 1. the auxi­liary memory “communicates” only with the main memory.

The arithmetic section of the computeгs does what its name implies. In addition to the four arithmetic operations, this section can shift numbers right and left, and can assist in certain operations which make it possible for the computer to make decisions.

The control section of a calculator has the function of interpreting or decoding the instructions stored in memory, and then sending signals to the rest of the parts telling them what to do. In Fig. 1 we see two solid lines, implying that instructions are sent to and from (usually from) memory to control: the dashed lines imply electric signals sent to the rest of the machine, based on these instructions.

The output section has the obvious purpose of recording in convenient form the results of the processing, or anything else in memory. The media may be punched cards, printed pages, or paper or magnetic tapes. The chart shows that information may be recorded (or written, in the jargon) only from memory.

V.I Translate the words.

Card 3

I. Rewrite and translate into Ukrainian the following sentences. State and comment on the infinitive constructions used in the sentences. / See model 1/

1. The engineer wamted the device to be tested in the laboratory.

2. He wanted the experiments to be carried out under any circumstances.

3. The temperature in the centre of the sun is believed to be 15 mln, degrees Centigrade.

4. The conference discussed the problems, which are said to be extremely important for designing new types of computers

5. All electrons appear to be identical and to have properties that don't change with time.

1. I seem to have lost my watch.

II. Rewrite and translate into Ukrainian the following sentences. State the form and function of the participles used in the sentences. Mind the translation of the Absolute Participle Construction. / See model 2 /

1. X-rays are produced when matter is bombarded by a fast moving stream of negatively

charged particles

2.If heated molecules of the material move faster.

3. The results obtained proved to be right.

4.The ammount of heat generated depends on the quality of the fuel used.

5. Having been given all the instructions the designer was able to start his work immediately.

6. It being warm, the children went for a walk.

III Choose the right form of the verb from the brackets. Translate the sentences into Ukrainian. Comment on the condition used in the subordinate clauses. / See model 3 /