Description
Chapter 03 : Computer Hardware Solution
True / False Questions
- All computers are systems of input, processing, output, storage, and distribution components.
True False
- The first electronic digital computer was completed in the 1960s.
True False
- Personal computers, network servers, and technical workstations are terms used to highlight major uses of particular types of computers.
True False
- Experts predict the merging or disappearance of several computer categories. For example, many midrange and mainframe systems have been made obsolete by the power and versatility of client/server networks composed of microcomputers and servers.
True False
- Network servers are the most important category of computer systems for both businesspeople and individual consumers.
True False
- The computing power of microcomputers currently exceeds that of the mainframe computer of previous generations, at a fraction of the cost.
True False
- Some microcomputers are powerful enough to support applications with heavy mathematical computing and graphics display demands, such as computer-aided design (CAD) or investment analysis.
True False
- Network servers are some of the less powerful microcomputers; they are used to coordinate telecommunications and resource sharing in small LANs and in Internet and intranet websites.
True False
- The top criteria for corporate PC ownership are operating system ready, connectivity, solid performance, and global compatibility.
True False
- Today’s corporate buyers seek networked PCs equipped with reliable wireless capabilities.
True False
- Web-enabled personal digital assistants use touch screens, pen-based handwriting recognition, or keyboards, so mobile workers can send and receive e-mail, access the Web, and exchange information with their desktop PCs or Web servers.
True False
- Midrange computers are often used as network servers in order to help manage large Internet websites, corporate intranets and extranets, and client/server networks.
True False
- Microcomputers can act as powerful workstations for computer-aided design and other computation and graphics-intensive applications.
True False
- A RIM Blackberry combines a mobile phone, a music and video player, and an Internet communications device.
True False
- The function of an input device is to interpret computer program instructions and to transmit directions to the other components of the computer system.
True False
- The central processing unit (CPU) is the main processing component of a computer system.
True False
- The output devices of a computer system can include video display units, scanners, and printers.
True False
- The control unit of the CPU interprets instructions and directs processing.
True False
- The clock speed of a microprocessor today is commonly expressed in teraflops; earlier microcomputer speeds were reported in gigahertz.
True False
- Moore’s Law refers to the exponential growth in the number of transistors per integrated circuit, which quadruples computer power every six months.
True False
- When discussing the concept of a computer system, peripherals is the generic name given to all input, output, and secondary storage devices that are part of a computer system.
True False
- Peripherals depend on direct connections or telecommunications links to the central processing unit of a computer system.
True False
- Offline devices are separate from, but can be electronically connected to and controlled by, a CPU.
True False
- A pointing stick is the most popular pointing device used today.
True False
- A trackball is a type of pointing device that converts drawings and other graphic images into digital data in order to enter it into a computer system.
True False
- Some touch screens emit a grid of infrared beams or sound waves that is broken when the screen is touched.
True False
- Pen-based computing technologies are being used in many hand-held computers and personal digital assistants.
True False
- Speech recognition systems typically require training the computer to recognize your voice and its unique sound patterns in order to achieve a high degree of accuracy.
True False
- Speaker independent voice recognition systems allow a computer to understand a few words from a voice it has never heard before.
True False
- Optical scanning enables the direct entry of data from source documents into a computer system.
True False
- OCR technology is used to read codes on merchandise tags, product labels, credit card receipts, and other documents.
True False
- The dark, magnetic stripe on the back of credit cards can hold about 200 gigabytes of information.
True False
- Smart cards, a form of input technology that contains an embedded microprocessor chip, are becoming popular in the United States for use in debit and credit cards.
True False
- Digital cameras and digital video cameras enable users to shoot, store, and download still photos or full-motion video and audio onto their PCs.
True False
- Video displays and printed documents have been, and still are, the most common forms of output from computer systems.
True False
- Advances in video monitor technology, such as active matrix and dualscan capabilities, have improved the color, but not the clarity, of LCD displays.
True False
- Printing information on paper is the most common form of information output.
True False
- One of the major trends in secondary storage has been toward massive capacities using magnetic and optical media.
True False
- High speed storage media cost less per byte and provide higher capacities than lower-speed storage media.
True False
- Data are processed and stored in a computer system through the presence or absence or electronic or magnetic signals to the computer. This is called a “bi-state” representation of data, because the computer and the media can exhibit only two states or conditions.
True False
- A byte typically consists of ten bits and represents one character of data in most computer coding schemes.
True False
- Magnetic tape devices are frequently called direct access storage devices (DASDs), while magnetic disks are known as sequential access devices.
True False
- The terms direct access and random-access describe the same concept.
True False
- The primary storage (main memory) of a computer consists of microelectronic semiconductor memory chips.
True False
- Random Access Memory (RAM) is non-volatile memory.
True False
- ROM chips are widely used as a primary storage medium because they can be erased and overwritten.
True False
- Magnetic disks are common forms of secondary storage because they provide fast access and high storage capacity at a reasonable cost.
True False
- RAID disk units provide fault tolerant storage capacity because data can be recovered from backup copies stored on other disks should one disk fail.
True False
- Magnetic tapes are no longer used by businesses today because the cost of storage on tape is very expensive compared to other types of storage media.
True False
- Most CD-ROM disks can hold more than 600 megabytes of information.
True False
- The main advantage of CD-R (compact disk-recordable) disks is that they enable recorded data to be erased many times.
True False
- DVD+RW+R with CD-RW provides an all-in-one drive for burning DVD-RW or DVD-R disks, burning CDs, and reading DVDs and CDs.
True False
- Active RFID chips are self-powered and must be close to the reader to transmit their signal.
True False
- RFID chips may be attached to objects, but cannot be injected into them because it interferes with radio signal transmission.
True False
- The use of RFID technology poses concerns for privacy issues.
True False
- It is predicted that in the future we will be able to back up our biological memories.
True False
Multiple Choice Questions
- Computer systems rely on all the following components except _______________.
- input
- internet
- processing
- storage
- Computer systems rely on which of the following components?
- Input, processing, output, storage, and control
- Input, processing, output, storage, and the Internet
- The Internet, processing, output, storage, and control
- Input, processing, output, the Internet, and control
- The mechanical loom was invented by _______________.
- Blaise Pascal
- Joseph Jacquard
- Herman Hollerith
- Keith Glennan
- The first generation of computers relied on _______________.
- miniaturized circuits
- transistors
- vacuum tubes
- punch cards
- The second generation of computers relied on _______________.
- miniaturized circuits
- transistors
- vacuum tubes
- punch cards
- In the 1950s, _______________ were invented and quickly replaced the thousands of vacuum tubes used in electronic computers.
- microchips
- resistors
- transistors
- miniaturized circuits
- The third generation of computers relied on _______________.
- solid state technology and integrated circuits
- transistors
- vacuum tubes
- punch cards
- The first electronic digital computer was completed in the _______________.
- 1870s
- 1940s
- 1950s
- 1960s
- The _______________ generation of computers was characterized by further miniaturization of circuits, increased multiprogramming, and virtual storage memory.
- second
- third
- fourth
- fifth
- _______________ are the most important category of computer systems for both businesspeople and individual consumers.
- Microcomputers
- Supercomputers
- Network Servers
- Mainframes
- According to the text, which of the following is considered by millions of computer users to be the primary function of the desktop PC?
- Allows access to the Internet
- Increases productivity through the use of software applications
- Facilitates creation of local area networks
- All of the choices are correct
- Which of the following statements best describes a workstation computer?
- Supports applications with heavy mathematical computing and graphics display demands, such as computer-aided design (CAD)
- Coordinates telecommunications and resource sharing in small, local area networks (LANS)
- Allows convenient mobile communications and touch-screen computing
- All of the choices are correct.
- __________ are some of the more powerful microcomputers; they are used to coordinate telecommunications and resource sharing in small LANs and in Internet and intranet websites.
- Mainframes
- Supercomputers
- Network Servers
- None of the choices are correct.
- According to the text, using web-enabled PDAs allows workers to realize all the following benefits except:
- Send and receive email
- Access the Web
- Exchange information with desktop PCs or Web servers
- Helps retain younger and more technologically savvy employees
- An intelligent terminal that can perform data entry and some information processing tasks independently is called a _______________ terminal.
- transaction
- dumb
- Windows
- remote
- Which of the following does not apply to a personal digital assistant (PDA)?
- Supports applications with heavy mathematical computing
- Touchscreens
- Pen-based handwriting recognition
- Web access
- Personal digital assistants most commonly use which of these technologies?
- Pen-based computing
- Optical scanning
- Jump drives
- Back-lit keyboards
- What sets the RIM BlackBerry apart from other wireless PDA solutions?
- Lower price
- It is always on and connected
- Smaller size and weight
- Longer battery life
- A BlackBerry ____________________.
- performs common PDA functions
- doesn’t have a visible antenna
- uses the same network as most mobile phones
- All of the choices are correct.
- _______________ are high-end network servers that handle large-scale processing of business applications.
- Midrange computers
- Mainframes
- Supercomputers
- All of the choices are correct.
- _______________ are popular as powerful network servers to help manage large Internet Websites, intranets, and extranets.
- Workstations
- Minicomputers
- Supercomputers
- Mainframes
- Which of the following is a common application for a midrange computer?
- Internet functions.
- Integrated enterprise-wide manufacturing and distribution.
- Financial applications.
- All of the choices are correct.
- According to the text, which of the following is not true of Mainframes?
- Mainframes can process thousands of million instructions per second (MIPS).
- Mainframes are large, fast, and powerful.
- Mainframes have large storage capacities.
- All of the choices are correct.
- Which of the following would not be considered a characteristic of supercomputer systems?
- Costs between $5 million and $50 million.
- Used for global weather reports and military defense.
- Runs the same software found on most home computers, but at faster speeds
- Designed specifically for high-speed numeric computation
- The function of an input device is:
- to interpret computer program instructions
- to transmit directions to other components of the computer system
- to convert data into electronic form for entry into a computer system
- none of the above
- The central processing unit (CPU):
- is the main processing component of a computer system
- controls all the peripheral devices of a computer system
- is controlled by the RAID unit
- is also called a Fuzzy Logic unit
- The output devices of a computer system include:
- printers and video displays
- the Arithmetic-logic unit
- scanners and RAID units
- the Fuzzy Logic unit
- The central processing unit (CPU) consists of:
- the Control unit and the RAID unit
- Arithmetic-logic unit and the RAID unit
- the RAID unit and the Fuzzy Logic unit
- the Control unit and the Arithmetic-logic unit
- Which of the following would perform the required mathematical and logic operations of a central processing unit (CPU)?
- Control unit
- Arithmetic-logic unit
- RAID unit
- Fuzzy logic unit
- The function of an output device is to:
- Convert data into an electronic machine-readable form for direct entry into a computer system
- Perform the arithmetic and logic functions required in computer processing
- Convert electronic information produced by the computer system into human-intelligible form for presentation to end-users
- Store the data and program instructions needed for processing
- Which of the following is a secondary storage device?
- Primary memory
- Random access memory
- Magnetic disk
- The CPU
- According to Moore’s Law, _______________ doubles every 18 to 24 months.
- computing power
- computer prices
- computer storage capacity
- the number of functioning computers
- Which of the following would not fit the typical classification of a computer peripheral?
- Monitors and printers
- Scanners and hard disk drives
- CD-ROM drives and backup systems
- Central processing unit
- Offline devices:
- are directly attached to the CPU
- are not controlled by the CPU
- are controlled by the CPU
- can replace the CPU
- The most popular pointing device used today is the _______________.
- pointing stick
- light pen
- trackball
- electronic mouse
- All of the following relate to Peripherals except:
- input devices
- output devices
- CPU devices
- secondary storage devices
- One device used as an input device in a computer system is a pointing stick, which is best described as:
- A small gearshift lever set in a box
- A stationary device containing a roller ball whose top is exposed outside its case
- A pen-shaped device with a ballpoint at the end
- A small, button-like device, sometimes likened to the eraser head of a pencil
- A touchpad is best described as a:
- Small, rectangular, touch-sensitive surface usually placed below the keyboard
- Stationary device containing a roller ball whose top is exposed outside its case
- Pen-shaped device with a ballpoint at the end
- Device rolled along the desktop in order to move the cursor on the screen
- Continuous speech recognition systems:
- Compare speech patterns to a dictionary
- Allow a computer to understand a few words from a voice it has never heard before
- Require users to pause between each spoken word
- Recognize conversationally paced speech
- Speech recognition devices in work situations allow operators to perform all the following except:
- Enter data without using their hands.
- Input data faster.
- input data more accurately.
- Input data without using a computer.
- Speaker independent voice recognition systems:
- Compare speech patterns to a dictionary
- Allow a computer to understand a few words from a voice it has never heard before
- Require users to pause between each spoken word
- All of the choices are correct.
- Which of the following best describes optical scanning devices?
- Hand-held wands used to read data on merchandise tags
- Photoelectric devices that scan data
- Converts reflected light patterns into electronic impulses, which are accepted as input into the computer system
- All of the choices are correct.
- Which of the following best describes magnetic stripe technology?
- A form of data entry that helps computers read credit cards
- A form of computing where debit and credit cards have an embedded microprocessor chip
- Technology that enables users to download full-motion video into a computer system
- Technology commonly used in banks in order to magnetically read checks and deposit slips
- The dark, magnetic stripe on the back of credit cards can hold about _______________ of information.
- 200 gigabytes
- 200 kilobytes
- 200 bytes
- Immaterial, as this technology is not yet available in the United States
- Smart card technology:
- Allows debit cards to store a cash balance on a card and electronically transfer some of it to others to pay for items and services
- Is not yet available in the United States
- Is commonly used by banks to read and process checks
- All of the choices are correct.
- Banks use _______________ technologies for check processing.
- voice response
- magnetic ink character recognition
- laser printer
- optical scanner
- The most common output trend is _______________.
- printed reports and documents
- audio responses
- voice responses
- video displays
- Which of the following is not a valid storage medium?
- Paper documents
- Optical disks
- Magnetic tape
- All of the choices are valid storage media.
- High speed storage media _______________ than lower-speed storage media.
- cost less per byte and provide higher capacities
- cost less per byte and provide lower capacities
- cost more per byte and provide higher capacities
- cost more per byte and provide lower capacities
- _______________ bytes of storage are needed to represent the name “Sarah.”
- Two
- Three
- Five
- Ten
- Data are processed and stored in a computer system through the presence or absence of electronic or magnetic signals to the computer. This is called a _______________ representation of data, because the computer and the media can exhibit only two states or conditions.
- Ternary
- Trinary
- Binary
- Bipolar
- Data are processed and stored in a computer system through the presence or absence of electronic or magnetic signals to the computer. This is called a “binary” representation of data, because the computer and the media can exhibit only _______________ states or conditions.
- two
- three
- five
- ten
- A bit, the smallest element of data, can have values of:
- 0 or 1
- 0, 1, or 8
- 0 through 7
- 0 through 8
- A gigabyte (GB) is used to express which of the following approximate measures?
- 1,000 byes of storage
- 1,000,000 bytes of storage
- 1,000,000,000 bytes of storage
- 1,000,000,000,000 bytes of storage
- Which of the following is an advantage of RAID?
- It provides virtually unlimited online storage
- It provides high access speeds
- It provides fault-tolerant storage capacity
- All of the choices are advantages.
- The primary storage (main memory) of a computer is also called:
- ROM
- RAID
- RAM
- None of the choices are correct.
- Which of the following storage types is volatile?
- RAM
- ROM
- PROM
- All the choices are volatile.
- Which of the following applies best to CD-RW optical disk technology?
- Users are unable to record their own data on the disks
- Users can record their own data, but only once
- Users are able to record and then erase the disks
- None of the choices are correct.
- Which of the following statements about optical disks is true?
- They can be read only, recordable, or rewritable
- They can hold approximately 50 megabytes on a single disk
- They have totally replaced “3.5” diskettes
- They have totally replaced magnetic tape as secondary storage
- According to the text, what are the current types of RFID chips?
- Electrical and magnetic
- Positive and negative
- Active and passive
- Red and Green