Hardware and software

Question 1

What is hardware?

Answer 1

Physical components of a computer system.

Question 2

What is software?

Answer 2

Programs that run on a computer system.

Question 3

What are peripherals

Answer 3

External hardware devices on the periphery of the computer system

Question 4

Describe the two types of software

Answer 4

System software: The software intended to allow the computer to run
Application software: The software intended to allow the computer to achieve a task

Question 5

Name and describe the four types of system software

Answer 5

Operating system: Provide an interface for the user, hide the hardware complexities, Manages and allocates system resources

Libraries: Allow programmers to use existing functions without needing to re-code them

Translators: Translate High level source code into low level machine code

Utility programs: Individual programs that maintain/configure/optimise the computer system

Question 6

Name some examples of utility software

Answer 6

Virus scanners
Disc clean-up
Backup software
Disc defragger
File manager
System monitor