Vocabulary
Define Computer Science
The study of computers and computational systems, including their design, development, and applications.
What are the pillars of our society that computer science impacts?
Healthcare, Entertainment, Transportation, and Communication
Game Developer vs Web Developer
Game Developer: Designs and creates video games.
Web Developer: Design and create websites.
The Motherboard & CPU
The CPU is the "brain" of the computer which performs the computer's calculations and instructions.
The CPU is located in the Motherboard which is the main circuit board that connects to all the hardware
What is it?
A theoretical model that describe the structure and organization of almost all modern computational devices.
Define Computer Software and Hardware
Software: Collection of programs, data, and instructions that enable a computer system to perform specific tasks or functions.
Understand: Its the intangible parts of a device that allow it to do certain things.
Example: An app or software update.
Hardware: Physical components of a computer system that can be touched and manipulated.
Understand: Its the tangible parts of a device
Example: CPU, RAM, Storage Devices
Positive computer impacts on entertainment
- Computer graphics and animation are used in most entertainment experiences.
- Social media platforms allow people from different parts of the world to connect.
- Streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu use machine learning to recommend personalized content.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineer
Builds, develops, and uses intelligent systems and algorithms.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and how it works
Responsible for all graphics on the computer screen. It offloads graphics from the CPU to allow the computer to process and represent the visuals smoothly.
What did this architecture simplify computer interaction into?
Input and Output Devices
Define Machine Learning
Involves training models on large datasets to recognize patterns, make inferences, and improve performance over time through experience.
Understand: When machine models learn and improve their performance over time through experiences.
Example: Machine learning helps credit/debit cards detect fraud
Positive computer impacts on communication
- The internet changed how people communicate with each other globally through calls, messages, etc.
- Encryption and cybersecurity technologies have allowed for secure online shopping/selling experiences.
- Natural language processing, like Google Translate, has allowed for global communication to be more accessible by reducing language barriers.
Cybersecurity Analyst
Protect computer systems and networks from potential threats and vulnerabilities.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Temporary storage space which stores contents until turned off.
It is volatile, meaning its contents delete when turned off.
What did this architecture introduce and what did this thing do?
It introduced memory as a place to store instructions and data.
True or False: A calculator is a computational device.
True.
Positive computer impacts on transportation
-Mapping apps allow us to get to our destination easily by mapping out the correct route.
-Traffic management systems, like traffic lights, help with control traffic flow.
-Self-driving vehicles, like Waymo, are being improved to help with safe and efficient transportation.
Software Engineer
Design, develop, and maintain software applications, such as apps and software updates.
Input and Output Devices
Input: Allow the user to input information to the computer: keyboard, mouse, etc.
Output: Allow the computer to output (take out) information: monitor, printer, etc.
What orderly process does this architecture follow and how does this work?
The Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle
1. The CPU fetches an instruction from memory
2. Decodes it to understand the operation to be performed
3. Then executes the instruction
Define Computational System and Computational Device
Computational System: Combination of hardware, software, and data that work together to perform computational tasks.
Understand: A system where hardware, software, and data work together to perform tasks.
Computational Device: Any device capable of performing computations or processing information.
Understand: The physical device that can use a computational system.
Positive computer impacts on healthcare
- Computers models help scientists discover new medicines.
- By finding patterns and learning from new data, machine learning algorithms help diagnose diseases.
-Electronic health records have led to better care and organization in hospitals.
Data Scientist
Analyze and interpret large sets of data to extract knowledge and inform decision-making
Storage Devices (2 of them and what each does)
Hard Disk Drive (HDD): Uses magnetic disks to provide long-term storage for programs, data files, and the operating system.
Solid State Drive (SSD): Uses flash memory technology for faster data access and improved reliability.
Remember: SSDs are faster and more improved than HDDs.
What idea is it based on?
It's based on the idea that a central unit will coordinate a set of instructions for the computer to execute.