Computer Systems

Question 1

What is hardware?

Answer 1

Hardware are the physical components that make up a device

Question 2

What is software?

Answer 2

Software is the computer code, programs and algorithms that give instructions to the hardware to make it perform a desired task.

Question 3

What is application software?

Answer 3

A program designed to perform a specific task that the user interacts directly with.

Question 4

What is system software?

Answer 4

System software is concerned with the running of the computer and the control of the computer hardware.

Question 5

What are the five roles of an operating system.

Answer 5

Application management
Processor management
Memory management
Security
Input/output devices

Question 6

What is a utility program?

Answer 6

A program for carrying out a routine function

Question 7

What is a high level programming language?

Answer 7

A high level programming language is closer to human language and is therefore easier to understand.

Question 8

What is a translator?

Answer 8

A translator converts the instructions into code the computer can understand (machine code)

Question 9

What is a compiler?

Answer 9

Converts high level languages into machine code before the program is run. Saves machine code so source code not needed. Runs faster than interpreted code. People cannot copy the code to use for their own applications.

Question 10

What is a low level programming language?

Answer 10

A low level programming language refers to machine code and assembly language. This language is very close to the language understood by computers.

Question 11

What is machine code?

Answer 11

Machine code is expressed in binary values 0 and 1. This is what computers understand. Machine code is specific to a processor.

Question 12

What is Assembly language?

Answer 12

Assembly language provides basic computer instructions for programs to run. Not quite machine code but has the same structure.

Question 13

Advantages of low level language

Answer 13

Produces code that is faster and better optimised than high level languages
More appropriate for developing new operating systems, embedded systems and hardware device drivers

Question 14

Disadvantages of low level languages

Answer 14

Very difficult to understand and modify

Is specific to the processor architecture

Question 15

Advantages of high level language

Answer 15

Allows code to be written that is portable between different processor architectures
Easier to understand
Easier to modify

Question 16

Disadvantages of high level languages

Answer 16

Needs a translator

Run slower due to the layers of abstraction and inefficiency if the translator

Question 17

What is an interpreter?

Answer 17

Converts high level languages to machine code one line at a time. Good for debugging code as the program stops when an error is found. Much slower than running compiled code.

Question 18

What is and assembler?

Answer 18

Converts assembly language into machine code