Distinctios of Data and Info and Breifly Explain the Process a Computer Uses to Convert Data Into Info
Amelia Williams
CIS 105
THE DISTINCTIONS OF DATA AND INFORMATION
It is very common for the words data and information to be used interchangeably. However, there is a very important distinction between the two. Data actually uses the raw numbers that computers organize to produce information. When it comes to computers, data is the term used to describe the information represented by groups of on/off switches. Because computers operate at super fast speeds to group its on/off switches into patterns, it appears to understand information. The computer has to have organized data in order to produce meaningful information.
In a computer, data is represented by the state of its electronic switches. A switch can only be on or off. If a switch is on, it represents a 1. If a switch is off, it represents a 0. To a computer everything is a number. Even the computer’s own instructions are numbers. According to Norton: computing fundamentals (2006), computers have their own numbering system called the binary numbering system ("Chapter 5, Processing Data").. When a computer needs to represent a quantity bigger than 1, it uses two digits. The binary number system only has two two- digit pairings to work with. When these pairings have all been used, four three digit pairings are built. When it comes to computerized data, the value represented by each switch’s state is known as a bit. Bits are the smallest units of data that a computer can use or recognize ( "Chapter 5, Processing Data," 2006).. Eight bits in a group is called a byte. Bytes are really, really important because there are enough different eight bit combinations to represent all the characters on the keyboard. A computer’s numbering system is designed to take the raw numbered data, and turn it into meaningful info for the user.
The computer’s brain, the CPU, carries out commands. It’s instructions for carrying out commands is built into the control unit. When the control unit has to process anything
CIS 105
THE DISTINCTIONS OF DATA AND INFORMATION
It is very common for the words data and information to be used interchangeably. However, there is a very important distinction between the two. Data actually uses the raw numbers that computers organize to produce information. When it comes to computers, data is the term used to describe the information represented by groups of on/off switches. Because computers operate at super fast speeds to group its on/off switches into patterns, it appears to understand information. The computer has to have organized data in order to produce meaningful information.
In a computer, data is represented by the state of its electronic switches. A switch can only be on or off. If a switch is on, it represents a 1. If a switch is off, it represents a 0. To a computer everything is a number. Even the computer’s own instructions are numbers. According to Norton: computing fundamentals (2006), computers have their own numbering system called the binary numbering system ("Chapter 5, Processing Data").. When a computer needs to represent a quantity bigger than 1, it uses two digits. The binary number system only has two two- digit pairings to work with. When these pairings have all been used, four three digit pairings are built. When it comes to computerized data, the value represented by each switch’s state is known as a bit. Bits are the smallest units of data that a computer can use or recognize ( "Chapter 5, Processing Data," 2006).. Eight bits in a group is called a byte. Bytes are really, really important because there are enough different eight bit combinations to represent all the characters on the keyboard. A computer’s numbering system is designed to take the raw numbered data, and turn it into meaningful info for the user.
The computer’s brain, the CPU, carries out commands. It’s instructions for carrying out commands is built into the control unit. When the control unit has to process anything