Lesson One TEXT What is a Computer A computer is a machine that  takes
in informaiton and processes that data in some way. The data may be nu
mber, letters, pictures, or even sounds.  The computer can perform ari
thmetcial operations, for example, addition, subtraction, multiplicati
on, division and power. All higher mathematical problems are reduced t
o thesesimple operations before being solved. The computer can compare
 statements. After a comptuer tests two statements, it can make a deci
sion about which statement is true. Thsi basic ability has made possib
le many of the successful applications of computers today. The compute
r are programmable. Programs are written to give istructions to the co
mputer. Some of programs used to operate the computer are stored insid
e the computer. People who operate the computer never see the actual p
rogramming. Other programs are written by students and professional pr
ogrammers. Most of the computers used today  are digital computers, fr
om small home computer systems to the large systems that the governmen
t uses to handle data about the entire nation. A computer is a data pr
ocessing machine. Data flow into the machine as input. Information flo
ws from the machine as output. The compjuter processes the data. What 
do we mean when we say that a computer processes data? We processiron 
ore to make steel; we process wood pulp to make paper. 'Process' impli
es that a change takes place, that the raw materals are in some way re
structured or manipulated. Often, data processing involves filtering a
nd summarizing data so that underlying patterns can be perceived. How 
does a computer process its data? What functions, what operations, can
 it perform? Generally, computers can add, substact, multiply, divide,
 compare, copy, request input, and request output. So can most pocket 
calculators.
Lesson One TEXT What is a Computer A computer is a machine that  takes
in informaiton and processes that data in some way. The data may be nu
mber, letters, pictures, or even sounds.  The computer can perform ari
thmetcial operations, for example, addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division and power. All higher mathematical problems are reduced t
o thesesimple operations before being solved. The computer can compare
 statements. After a comptuer tests two statements, it can make a deci
sion about which statement is true. Thsi basic ability has made possib
le many of the successful applications of computers today. The compute
r are programmable. Programs are written to give istructions to the co
mputer. Some of programs used to operate the computer are stored insid
e the computer. People who operate the computer never see the actual p
rogramming.