Hardware and Software

Question 1

What is the difference between hardware and software

Answer 1

The hardware are the physical components that make up a computer system and the software are the programs that control the computer system

Question 2

How is the hardware divided into categories?

Answer 2

Internal and external (input and output devices)

Question 3

Examples of Input devices

Answer 3

Keyboard, mouse

Question 4

Examples of output devices

Answer 4

Monitor, printer

Question 5

Secondary storage devices

Answer 5

DVD R/W drive, removable hard disk drive

Question 6

Which are the two types of software?

Answer 6

Application and system

Question 7

What are software applications?

Answer 7

Programs that allow the user to do specific tasks

Question 8

Examples of application software

Answer 8

Word proccesor, Spreadsheet, Database, Control and measuring software, Apps, Photo editing software, Video editing software, Graphics manipulation software

Question 9

What is a system software?

Answer 9

Programs that allow the hardware to run properly and allow the user to communcate with the computer

Question 10

Examples of system software

Answer 10

Compiler, Linkers, Device driver, Utilities and Operating systems

Question 11

Examples of internal computer hardware

Answer 11

Motherboard, Random access memory (RAM), Read-only memory (ROM), Video card, Sound card, Internal hard disk drive/solid state drive (HDD/SSD)

Question 12

What is a RAM?

Answer 12

Internal chip where data is temporarily stored when running applications. This memory can be written to and read from.
Its contents are lost when power to the computer is turned off (volatile or temporary memory)

Question 13

What is a ROM?

Answer 13

Stores information permanently. These chips cannot be altered and can only be read from.
The main advantage, stored data is not lost when power to the computer is turned off.
Also contains some coding (boot file)

Question 14

What do the interfaces CLI and GUI mean?

Answer 14

CLI means Command line interface and GUI means Graphical user interface

Question 15

Advantages of CLI

Answer 15

• The user is in direct communication with the computer
• The user is not restricted to a number of predetermined options
• It is possible to alter computer configuration

Question 16

Advantages of GUI

Answer 16

• The user doesn’t need to learn any coomands
• It is more user-friendly
  A pointing device is used to click on an icon to launch the application, it’s simpler

Question 17

Disadvantages of CLI

Answer 17

• The user needs to learn a number of commands to carry out basic operations
• All commands need to be typed in, takes time and can be error-prone
• Each command must be typed in using the correct format, spelling
• More difficult to edit once commands are entered

Question 18

Disadvantages of GUI

Answer 18

• It uses more computer memory
• The user is limited to the icons provided on the screen
• It needs an operating system, which uses up a lot of memory

Question 19

Who would use each type of interface?

Answer 19

CLI: programmer, analyst or technician

GUI: any person, one who pñay games or store/manipulate photographs

Question 20

Name the types of computers

Answer 20

PC/desktop computers, Laptop, Tablets, Smartphones, Smartwatches and Mainframe computers