Data processing and data processing systems

 

The necessary data are processed by a computer to become useful information. In fact this is the definition of data process­ing. Data are a collection of facts — unorganized but able to be-organized into useful information. Processing is aseries of ac­tions or operations that convert inputs into outputs. When we speak of data processing, the input is data, and the output is useful information. So, we can define data processing as a se­ries of actions or operations that converts data into useful in­formation.

We use the term dataprocessing system to include the resourc­es that are used to accomplish the processing of data. There are four types of resources: people, materials, facilities, and equip­ment. People provide input to computers, operate them, and use their output. Materials, such as boxes of paper and printer rib­bons, are consumed in great quantity. Facilities are required to house the computer equipment, people and materials.

The need for converting facts into useful information is not a phenomenon of modern life. Throughout history, and even prehistory, people have found it necessary to sort data into forms that were easier to understand. For example, the ancient Egyp­tians recorded the ebb and flow of the Nile River and used this information to predict yearly crop yields.

Today computers con­vert data about land and water into recommendations to farm­ers on crop planting. Mechanical aids to computation were de­veloped and improved upon in Europe, Asia, and America throughout the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centu­ries. Modern computers are marvels of an electronics technol­ogy that continues to produce smaller, cheaper, and more pow­erful components.

Basic data processing operations

Five basic operations are characteristic of all data process­ing systems: inputting, storing, processing, outputting, and con­trolling. They are defined as follows.

Inputting is the process of entering data, which are collected facts, into a data processing system.

Storing is saving data or information so that they are available for initial or for additional processing.

Processing represents performing arithmetic or log­ical operations on data in order to convert them into useful in­formation.

Outputting is the process of producing useful infor­mation, such as a printed report or visual display.

Controlling is directing the manner and sequence in which all of the above operations are performed.

 

Data storage hierarchy

It is known that data, once entered, are organized and stored in successively more comprehensive groupings. Generally, these groupings are called a data storage hierarchy. The general group­ings of any data storage hierarchy are as follows.

1) Characters, which are all written language symbols: let­ters, numbers, and special symbols.

2) Data elements, which are meaningful collections of related characters. Data elements are also called data items or fields.

3) Records, which are collections of related data elements.

4) Files, which are collections of re­lated records. A set of related files is called a data base or a data bank.

 

3.Answer the following questions:

1. What is processing?

2. What is data processing?

3. What does the term of data processing system mean?

4. What basic operations does a data processing system include?

5. What is inputting (storing, outputting) information?

6. What do you understand by resources?

7. How did ancient Egyptians convert facts into useful information?

8. When were mechanical aids for computation developed?

9. What does data storage hierarchy mean?

10. What are the general groupings of any data storage hierarchy?

 

4. Read and translate the following words and word-combinations into Ukrainian:

To relate data elements, records, data base, data bank, characters, general groupings, data storage, comprehensive groupings, controlling, manner and sequence, outputting, processing, storing, inputting, marvels of an electronic technology, mechanical aids, to sort data, a phenomenon of modern life, converting facts, data processing system, data processing, command input, batch file, character sequence, laser storage, device control, communication facilities, security resource, to accomplish the processing of data, numerical data, useful information, the output of a data processing system, entering data, the set of instructions.

5. Find the English equivalents to the word-combinations:

Системи обробки інформації, послідовність дій, перетворення вхідних даних в корисну інформацію, залучати ресурси, завершити обробку даних, забезпечити ввід інформації у комп’ютер, витрачати у великій кількості, розміщувати комп’ютерне обладнання, мати потребу в пристроях, явище сучасного життя, протягом доісторичного періоду, реєструвати відливи і приливи, прогнозувати урожай зернових культур, механічні засоби обчислення, ввід даних, збереження даних, початкова обробка даних, додаткова обробка, видача корисної інформації, надруковане повідомлення, зорове відображення, послідовність запам’ятовування інформації, мовні символи, елементи інформації, база даних, набір взаємопов’язаних файлів.

6. Make up sentences with the word-combinations:

The set of instructions, useful information, communication facilities, a phenomenon of modern life, converting facts, an electronic technology, to relate data elements, data bank, to accomplish the processing of data, entering data.

7. Give definitions to the words and word-combinations:

Outputting, processing, storing, inputting, controlling, mechanical aids, data bank, data storage, communication facilities, security resource.

8. Translate the sentences into English:

1. Інформація, яка вводиться в комп’ютер для обробки, повинна бути

закодована в нулі та одиниці.

2. Обробка даних це виконання арифметичних або логічних операцій, щоб перетворити їх в корисну інформацію.

3. Перші машини були спроектовані для роботи з перфокартами для обробки

бізнес-даних.

4. Ресурси, необхідні для виконання процесу обробки даних називаються

системою обробки даних.

5.Одна машина була побудована для того щоб пробивати отвори, інша щоб

зібрані дані звести в таблицю.

6.Компютери можуть зберігати велику кількість інформації, що є далеко за

межами людини.

7.Система комп’ютерної обробки даних не була б корисною, якби користувачу

доводилося чекати відповіді більш ніж декілька секунд.

8.При правильному програмуванні комп’ютер ніколи не зробить

обчислювальної помилки.

 

Practice asking the questions: ask all possible questions to the different

parts of the sentences:

1. Today computers con­vert data about land and water into recommendations to

farmers on crop planting.

2. Modern computers are marvels of an electronics technol­ogy that continues to

produce smaller, cheaper, and more pow­erful components.

3. The ancient Egyp­tians recorded the ebb and flow of the Nile River and used this

information to predict yearly crop yields.

 

10. Speak on the topic using the following word-combinations:

Data elements, data base, data bank, characters, data storage, controlling, manner and sequence, outputting, processing, storing, inputting, marvels of an electronic technology, mechanical aids, a phenomenon of modern life, converting facts, data processing system, command input, batch file, character sequence, laser storage, device control, communication facilities, security resource, to accomplish the processing of data, numerical data, useful information, the output of a data processing system, entering data, the set of instructions.

 

Text B

1. Read the text and be ready to answer the questions:

1. What capabilities should data-processing systems combine when designed?

2. What are the main advantages of comput­ers?

3. What do you know of computers accuracy?

4. What is the function of communication networks?

5. Give examples of a data communication network.

6. What do you understand by capacity storage?

7. What other values of computer data pro­cessing systems do you know?

8. What is an important objec­tive in the design of computer data processing systems?

9. What is the most effective computer data processing system?

10. What is the best way of responding to the challenges and opportuni­ties of our

post-industrial society?