Module 6: Computer Components in Introduction to Information Technology

Computer Components Inside the Casing

A computer casing serves as both a container and a protective enclosure for the various electronic components inside a computer or mobile device. It houses several main components that work together to keep the system running properly.

Component	Function
Motherboard	The main circuit board that integrates components such as RAM, the processor, and others.
Processor (CPU)	The brain of the computer, which executes the basic instructions needed to operate the system.
Memory	Stores instructions waiting to be executed by the processor along with the data they require.
Adapter	Connects the computer to other devices, such as a sound card or video card.
Battery & Power Supply	Converts AC electrical current into DC and distributes power to every component.

Data Representation

Computers use the binary number system (base 2) as their native language. In practice, however, several other number bases are also commonly used to represent data.

Commonly Used Number Bases

• Binary (base 2): consists only of 0 and 1.
• Octal (base 8): consists of the digits 0 through 7.
• Decimal (base 10): the base humans use day to day, consisting of 0 through 9.
• Hexadecimal (base 16): consists of 0–9 plus the letters A–F.

Conversion Between Bases

Some conversions commonly studied include:

• Binary ↔ Decimal
• Octal ↔ Decimal
• Hexadecimal ↔ Decimal

Exercises

1. Decimal to Binary Conversion

• Convert $45_{(10)}$ to binary.
• Convert $95_{(10)}$ to binary.

2. Binary to Decimal Conversion

• Convert $101101_{(2)}$ to decimal.
• Convert $10011_{(2)}$ to decimal.

Analogy: School Identification Number

Imagine you manage a school, and every student has a unique number called a School Identification Number (NIS) in decimal form. You want to design a new identification system that uses only the digits 0 and 1 — that is, in binary form.

1. Decimal → Binary. A student with NIS $45$ wants to switch their identification number to binary form. You convert $45_{(10)}$ into $101101_{(2)}$.
2. Binary → Decimal. Conversely, when you see the binary number $10011_{(2)}$, you convert it back into $19_{(10)}$ to identify the student.

This analogy offers a simple illustration of the conversion process between the decimal and binary bases, which is widely used in programming and computer systems.