Questions

Chapter 2

1. What is batch processing ?
2. What real time processing?
3. What is an interactive computer system?
4. What is multitasking?
5. What is multiprogramming?
6. What is a job?
7. What is a job queue?
8. What is a multi-access computer system?
9. Describe a real time system.
10. Describe a batch processing system.
11. Describe an interactive system.
12. Describe a commercial multi access system.
13. What is the difference between a microprocessor and a microcomputer?
14. What is the name given to a large powerful computer?
15. What is a single user system?
16. Who invented Microsoft Windows?

Chapter 3

1. What does data capture mean?
2. What is automated data capture?
3. What is a POS terminal?
4. What does "capture data from form" mean?
5. What is encoding?
6. What is decoding?
7. What is a turnaround document?
8. What are three things to consider when designing a data capture form?
9. What does WIMP stand for?
10. What is a GUI?
11. What is a command line interface?
12. What does User friendly mean?
13. Design a data entry form for entering student name, IC and date of birth.

Chapter 4

1. What technology is used for storing information on bank cheques?
2. What is an Input device? What are some reasons for using automated data capture technology.
3. What is OMR? Provide an example of how this technology is used.
4. What is OCR? Provide an example of how this technology is used.
5. What is MICR? Provide an example of how this technology is used.
6. What are three pieces of information often stored on a bar code? What is a ISBN and what is a UPC?
7. What is an advantage of using bar codes?
8. What is a disadvantage of using bar codes?
9. What is a magnetic strip used for?
10. Name an input device that is often used for input when using a Computer Aided Design program
11. What is a graphics tablet used for?
12. What is speech recognition? What uses can you think of for speech recognition.
13. What is the difference between a hand held scanner and a flatbed scanner? Put images of each in your answer.
14. What would be the best system to use when reading data from a printed document? How successful were you when you tried using OCR software.

Chapter 5

1. Name one computer application that requires high resolution? How is screen resolution measured? How is printer resolution measured? What resolution is needed for satisfactory pictures on a screen? What resolution is needed for "photo quality" printing on paper?
2. What is an application that does not need high resolution?
3. What is an LCD?
4. What is an advantage of using an LCD rather than a normal PC monitor? If LCD is better then why do we still use CRT?
5. What is a flatbed plotter?
6. What is a drum plotter?
7. What is an application that uses a plotter?
8. What does it mean if your output device is offline?
9. What is voice synthesis? See if you can find out about a program called "dragon speak".
10. What are some things to consider when deciding what output device is required?
11. Name three different types of printer?
12. What is a use of dot matrix printers?
13. What is an advantage of using an inkjet printer?
14. What is a disadvantage of using an inkjet printer?
15. Why would we choose to use a laser printer instead of an inkjet printer?
16. Describe a control system where the computer outputs a signal that switches on (or off) an actuator. What does the IO interface do in such a system? [hint - the answer is NOT in Ch 5!]

Chapter 6

1. What is main store?
2. What is backing store?
3. What is a characteristic of RAM?
4. What is a characteristic of ROM?
5. What is a processor?
6. What does exchangeable storage mean?
7. What is the difference between a hard disk and a floppy disk?
8. What is an application suitable for a hard disk?
9. What is an application suitable for a floppy disk?
10. Name three backing store technologies.
11. What are two types of CD that are used in computers?
12. What advantages do CDs have over floppy disks?
13. What is magnetic tape used for?
14. What media would be used for serial access?
15. What media could be used for random access?

Chapter 7

1. What is the difference between a data file and a program file?
2. What is a record?
3. What is a field?
4. What is an item?
5. Modern database terms include row, column and tuple. What do these terms mean?
6. What are two advantages of storing files in permanent storage
7. What is a variable length field?
8. What is a fixed length field?
9. What is serial access?
10. What is random access?
11. How does a computer know where a variable length field ends?
12. What is a transaction file?
13. What does interactive mean?
14. What are reasons for choosing different methods of access?

Chapter 8

1. What does data security mean?
2. What are three threats to data security?
3. What is an archive file?
4. What is a backup file?
5. What is data encryption? Describe what can be found at the "pretty good protection" site.
6. What is data integrity?
7. What is a check digit used for?
8. What is verification?
9. What is validation?
10. What is a transmission error?
11. What is a packet? What method is used to make sure that internet packets are not corrupted when they are received by your computer?
12. How do preprinted forms help to cut down errors?
13. What is a read error?
14. What does log in mean?
15. What is compression used for?

Chapter 9

1. What is an algorithm? Provide a simple example of each of Structured English, Pseudo Code, a flow chart and a structure diagram.
2. What is a macro?
3. What does a compiler do?
4. What does an interpreter do?
5. What are 5 functions of your Windows operating system?
6. What is application software?
7. What could a CAD program do that you could not easily do with a simple drawing program?
8. What can be done with a DTP program that is difficult to do with a word processor?
9. What features does a spreadsheet program have that are not found in a database program?
10. What is an integrated package?
11. What does Export / Import mean?

Chapter 10

1. What is the difference between overtype and insert mode?
2. What use is a clipboard?
3. What is word wrapping?
4. What is a font?
5. What does indenting mean?
6. What does cut and paste mean?
7. What does mail merge mean?
8. What is the name of a word processing program that you are familiar with?
9. What is the name of a desk top publishing program that you are familiar with?
10. What does "import text" mean?
11. How would you insert clipart into a document?
12. What word processing functions could you use to make a heading more obvious?
13. Would you use a word processor or DTP program for producing a poster – give your reasons?
14. What differences in hardware requirements are there for a word processor and a desk top publishing program?
15. What is a standard letter?

Chapter 11

1. What is a DBMS?
2. What is the name of a DBMS that you have used?
3. What is one thing you can do with a DBMS that you can not do with a word processor?
4. Give an example of a job that would be better done with a spreadsheet rather than a database
5. Provide an example of a remote on-line database that you are familiar with.
6. Name some different ways of capturing data.
7. What are three different field types?
8. What is a primary key?
9. What are the 8 steps required to create a database?
10. What does SQL stand for?
11. Create a query that uses an AND in it.
12. Create a query that uses an OR in it.

Chapter 12

1. What is a model?
2. Why are models important?
3. Describe an example of a simulation model.
4. What is an advantage of making models?
5. Name four different types of computer model.
6. What are the stages to be complete to build a model?
7. What is virtual reality?
8. What is an expert system?
9. Describe how a model would be useful for planning the timing for the traffic lights at a busy intersection.
10. What are the main parts of an expert system?
11. Describe a real time model.
12. Describe a simulation model.

Chapter 13

1. What is a spreadsheet?
2. What is the difference between relative address and absolute address?
3. What different type of information can go in a cell?
4. What is the difference between a formula and a function?
5. List 5 functions that you have used before?
6. How would you place a spreadsheet table into your word processing document?
7. How can a spreadsheet be used as a financial model?

Chapter 14

1. What is animation?
2. What is morphing?
3. What is the difference between a pixel based package and an object based package?
4. Why is a CAD program demanding for Input, output and storage?
5. What are three advantages of CAD programs?
6. What are two disadvantages of CAD systems?
7. What is CAM?
8. What are 2 examples of business graphics?
9. What are two types of chart?

Chapter 15

1. List 5 communication technologies used in Brunei apart from mobile phone.
2. What are the characteristics of a LAN? Use the internet to download information about different types of LAN and the required hardware and software.
3. What are the advantages of using fibre optic instead of copper wire?
4. What does asynchronous mean?
5. What does ADSL mean and how does it work?
6. What is a WAN
7. What is the difference between the Internet and the WWW?
8. What is a homepage?
9. What is a URL?
10. What is a bulletin board?
11. What are some advantages of E-mail over post?
12. What are some ways that a business can take advantage of communications technology so that they can be more competitive?
13. What is an intranet?
14. What is an extranet?

Chapter 16

1. What is a feedback loop?
2. What is a control interface?
3. What is a stepper motor? What is an example of an application that might use a stepper motor?
4. What is an analog to digital converter used for? Provide a concrete example to support your answer.
5. When would you use a digital to analog converter? Provide a concrete example to support your answer.
6. What is a sensor? Provide a concrete example to support your answer.
7. What are the components of a control system? Provide a concrete example to support your answer by making a labeled diagram or else label a digital image.
8. What is an actuator?
9. What is meant by the term process control?
10. List three advantages of automating process control.
11. What is data logging? Provide a concrete example to support your answer.
12. How could data logging be useful if you are going to make a computer model?
13. What are the components required for data logging
14. Draw a diagram of a data logging system that you have designed to count the number of cars going into and out of the school at lunchtime.

Chapter 17

1. What is LOGO
2. What does the command FORWARD n mean?
3. What does the command REPEAT 4 (forward 5, RIGHT 90) do?
4. What does PEN UP do
5. What does PEN DOWN do?
6. Make a program to make a square. The side length is 45.
7. Make a program to make a parallelogram (4 sides) . The side length is 45 and the acute inside angle is 57
8. How would you get the turtle to create a flag shape
9. Write down an algorithm that you could use to control a burglar alarm.
10. Generate an algorithm that will control an air conditioning unit.
11. Describe what a feasibility study is. The book is not very good for giving you information about this – use other resources in your lab or else use the internet.
12. What are two things that would need to be tested before a control system is put into place
13. Describe how a control system for traffic lights would work. Your system is to have a camera that takes pictures of cars that go through red lights at intersections so that these people can be prosecuted and can have their cars taken off them.

Chapter 18

1. What are the parts of a feasibility study?
2. Each phase of an SDLC has deliverables. What is the deliverable for the problem investigation phase and who would receive it?
3. What is project management?
4. What software might a project manager use to help them?
5. What is a pilot system?
6. What is parallel running?
7. What is top down design?
8. What is system testing and how is it different from acceptance testing?
9. What does file conversion mean?
10. What is technical documentation?
11. What is user documentation?
12. How would you evaluate a new system?

Extra questions requiring research…

1. What is EDI? Why is EDI good for business?
2. What is EFTPOS?
3. What is EFT?
4. What is SOHO technology?
5. What is MIS?
6. What is a Decision support system and who would use it?
7. What is a transaction processing system and who would use it?
8. What is an executive information system and who would use it?
9. What does it mean to "lock in" customers and how can IT be used to do this?
10. What is the difference between an intranet and an extranet?
11. What jobs are available in the IT sector?
12. How are jobs lost through IT?
13. What does encryption mean and how can you use it to protect your E-mail?
14. What is "Pretty Good Protection"?