BCS-011

1.

c) What is Von Neumann Architecture? Explain with the help of a diagram.

Ans: Mathematician John Von Neumann considered a computer architecture which forms the core of
nearly every computer system in use today. This architecture is known as Von Neumann architecture. It
is a design model for the modern computers which has central processing unit (CPU) and the concept of
memory used for storing both data and instructions.

d) List any four different types of software that are required for programming. Explain the purpose of
each one of these.

Programming Software includes the following:

a) Compilers b) Debuggers c) Interpreters and d) Text editors

a) Compilers: A compiler is a program that translates the code written in a high-level programming
language or the source code to the lower level language or the object code. Generally, the object code is
the machine language code. A compiler compiles a program to the form that can be executed by the
computer.

b) Debuggers: A debugger used to test and debug the targeted program. Typical debugging facilities
include the ability to run or halt the target program at specific points, display the contents of memory,
CPU registers or storage devices.

c) Interpreters: Interpreter is another translation program. It takes the source code instruction, one at a
time, translates and executes it.

d) Text editors: A text editor is a type of program used for editing plain text files. Many text editors for
software developers include source code syntax highlighting and automatic completion to make
programs easier to read and write.
e) What is the need to draw a flow chart? Draw a flow chart for finding sum of first 10 odd numbers.
That is, it should add 1+3+5+7+9+11+13+15+17+19.

f) Which of the following is valid IP address/ 3 addresses? We must give reason in support of our
answer:

(I) 192.168.5.512, (ii) 1.1.1.0, (iii) 172. -1.1.1, (IV) 77.77.100

Ans: (ii) 1.1.1.0 is a valid IP address. As we know that an IPv4 should have 4 octets and those octets
should content only integer range between 0-255, if we look at the first option here the 4th octet has the
integer value 512 which is invalid, the 3rd one has -1 in its second octet which is again invalid and lastly
the 4th example has only 3 octets instead of four but the example no. (ii) has 4 octets and octets are
containing a valid integer value so this is a valid IP.

g) What are the advantages of using Local Area Networks? List the characteristics of LANs. How are
WAN different than LAN?

Advantages of LAN

 It allows sharing of expensive resources such as Laser printers, software and mass storage devices
among a number of computers.

 LAN allows for high-speed exchange of essential information.

 It contributes to increased productivity. A LAN installation should be studied closely in the context of
its proposed contribution to the long range interest of the organization.

Characteristics of LAN

 It connects computers in a single building, block or campus, i.e. they work in a restricted geographical
area.

 LANs are private networks, not subject to tariffs or other regulatory controls. For the Wireless LANs
there are additional regulations in several countries.

 LANs operate at relatively high speed when compared to the typical WAN (.2 to 100 MB /sec).

How LAN different from WAN:-

Characteristics LAN WAN

Full form It stands for local area It stands for wide area
network. network.
 Cost Less Costly Costliest
Speed Up to 10-1 Gbps 256 Kbps to 2 Mbps
and beyond
Range 1 Km Whole earth (20.000
Km in each direction)
Topology Bus and Ring ATM, Frame Relay, Sonet

h) What is a Wiki? How is it useful to us?

Wiki’s are a powerful tool for creating collaborative knowledge resources created by the community. A
wiki is a page or collection of Web pages designed to create and edit contents. Wiki supports hyperlinks
and has simple text syntax for creating new pages. Wiki is useful as it allows editing of the content
without any problem in a collaborative manner.

2.

(a) What is memory hierarchy? Explain with the help of a diagram. Why is memory hierarchy created
in a computer system?

The memory hierarchy separates computer storage into a hierarchy based on response time. Since
response time, complexity, and capacity are related, the levels may also be distinguished by their
performance and controlling technologies.

The figure below clearly demonstrates the different levels of memory hierarchy:

Memory hierarchy memory management keeps track of the status of each memory location, whether it
is allocated or free. It allocates the memory dynamically to the programs at their request and frees it for
reuse when it is no longer needed. Memory management meant to satisfy some requirements that we
should keep in mind.

b) Explain any three main activities that we can perform using a spreadsheet software.
1) Math and Statistical:

SUM – Adds its arguments

MEDIAN – Returns the median of the given numbers

SUMPROUCT – Returns the sum of the products of corresponding array components

COUNTIF - Counts the number of cells within a range that meet the given criteria

2) Logical:

IF - Specifies a logical test to perform

NOT - Reverses the logic of its argument

AND - Returns TRUE if all of its arguments are TRUE

3) Advanced Functions:

MATCH- Looks up values in a reference or array

INDEX - Uses an index to choose a value from a reference or array

SEARCH - Finds one text value within another

REPLACE - Replaces characters within

c) What is a Web browser? Write the sequence of activities that take place when we request for a
webpage, till it is displayed in our browser window.

A Web browser is software application that enables we to find, retrieve, and display information
available on the World Wide Web. Browser also allows we to pass through information resources on the
WWW.

Sequence of activities that take place when we request for a webpage, till it is displayed in our browser
window:

 The web browser requests the nearest Domain name system server to resolve the IP address of the
intended web site www.ignou.ac.in

 The name server will return the resolved IP address of the Web server of the website
http://www.ignou.ac.in

 The browser then requests TCP/IP protocol to establish a connection with the web server and get the
home page of the web site. In addition, to the HTML text file, the browser may also request download of
the related image files, audio files, video files etc. with Hypertext Markup Language.
 A web browser then receives webpage and related files from the server then displays the webpage as
desired.

3.

(a) Given the three storage devices (I) Hard disk (ii) Pen drive (iii) Magnetic tape, what will be their
primary uses? Give advantage and disadvantage of each of these secondary memories.

I) Hard disks

Hard disk is permanently connected to the computer system and when the computer is on, the device is
available to store information or to retrieve information. HDD stores programs, data, operating system,
compiler, assemblers, application programs etc.

ii) Pen Drive

Pen Drive is a very convenient and flexible data storage medium which can store up to 256 GB data. Pen
Drives are a smaller, faster, durable and more reliable storage medium.

iii) Magnetic Tapes

A Magnetic tape is a sequential access type secondary storage device. It is used for backups in servers,
workstations, and large computers.

Advantage and disadvantage of each of these secondary memories

Medium Advantages Disadvantages

Hard Disk •Usually integrated into the PC  To store data and files
• very robust  To store software
Pen Drive Portable Large storage capacity Most USB flash drives do not include a write
Smaller, faster and reliable protect mechanism. Due to its small size they
can easily be misplaced or lost
Magnetic tape  Very Large storage capacity  To store files
 Disks are durable, robust and  Ideal for large scale daily and weekly backup
rewriteable operations, particularly for servers
 Inexpensive

(b) What is an operating system? Explain the five main services provided by the Operating System.

An operating system is an essential software component of a computer system. The basic objectives of
an operating system are to make the computer system convenient to use and to utilize computer
hardware in an efficient manner.

Command Processor and User Interface

OS provides the user interface and a separate shell that is Operating System provided with the operating
system and that interacts with the kernel to provide the necessary-user command capabilities.

File Management
The concept of a file is central to the effective use of a computer system. A file is generally defined as a
collection of related information such as student’s records, employee’s database. A file may be
organized internally into records or it may simply be a stream of bytes.

Input/output Services

Operating system provides input/output services for each device in the system. The operating system
includes I/O device driver programs for each device installed on the system.

Process Control Management

A process is an executing program. It is considered the standard unit of work within a computer system.
Every executing program is treated as a process. This includes not only application programs, but the
programs within the operating system itself.

Memory Management

1. It keeps track of which parts of the memory are currently being used and by which process into
memory and available space.

2. It maintains one or more queues of programs waiting to be loaded into memory as space becomes
available.

3. When space is available, it allocates memory to the programs that are next to be loaded

4.

(a) Explain the purpose of each of the following network devices:

(I) Network interface card, (ii) Modem, (iii) Repeater, (IV) Bridge, (v) Hub

Network Interface Cards

The network interface card provides the physical connection between the network and the computer. It
is a major factor in determining the speed and performance of a network. The most common network
interface connection today is Ethernet cards.

Modem

A modem is a communication device that converts binary signal into analog signals for transmission over
telephone lines and converts these analog signals back into binary form at the receiving end.

Repeaters

When a signal travels a network cable, they lose strength, degrade and become inaccurate in a process
that is called attenuation. A repeater is a device that electrically amplifies the signal it receives and re-
broadcasts it.

Bridge

Like a repeater, a bridge can join several LANs. However, a bridge can also divide a network to isolate
traffic problems. A bridge is used to connect two segment each segment can have several computer
attached to it.
Hub

A hub sends any data packet coming from one port to all other ports. It is up to the receiving computer
to decide if the packet is for it. Typically used to connect segments of a local area network, a hub
contains multiple ports. A hub is typically the least expensive, least intelligent, and least complicated of
the hub, router and switches.

b) What is the need of a port in a computer? List any four ports that may be used in a computer also
give the name of one device that may use that port.

Port is a connecting socket, into which different types of cables are plugged. Ports are the interfaces
through which computers communicate with external devices such as printers, modems, joysticks and
terminals.

Parallel Port

A parallel port transmits 8 bits of a byte of data in parallel so it operates I/O devices at a relatively high
speed. It transmits fast data over short distances. It is used to connect a printer to a computer.

Serial Port

Serial port transmits one bit of a byte, one at a time as a single stream of bits. It is meant for
transmitting slow data over long distances. Communication over a phone is an example of serial
communication.

Universal Serial Bus

A USB Port can connect up to 127 peripheral devices and permits Plug and Play such as a digital camera
etc.

Small Computer System Interface

Small Computer System Interface Port allows data to be transmitted in a daisy chain to up to 7 devices
at a speed higher than those possible with serial and parallel ports.

c) What is meant by project management software? Explain any four activities that we can perform
using project management software.

The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals and objectives within
the preconceived project constraints. Typical constraints are scope, time, and resources.

Scheduling

1. Events which depend on one another in different ways

2. Dealing with uncertainties in the estimates of the duration of each task

Calculating critical path

In many complex schedules, there will be a critical path, or series of events which depend on each other,
and whose durations directly determine the length of the whole project.

Providing information

1. Tasks lists for team members

2. Allocation schedules for resources

3. Overview information on how long tasks will take to complete

4. Early warning of any risks to the project

Timesheet Management

A timesheet is a record of the number of hours an employee spends in completing a certain task. The
timesheet also mentions details of the task involved and the kind of operations that the task involved
completing.

5. Explain any five of the following terms with the help of an example/diagram, if needed:

(a) Security threats on Internet. (b) The activities performed by search engines.

(c) Tools for collaboration on Internet. (d) Diagnostic tools in a computer.

(e) Use of subroutines and functions. (f) Purpose of "my computer' and "Recycle Bin".

(g) Main frame computers and Super computers.

Security threats on Internet

The Internet has many advantages and also opens up security threat. When you use internet you are
faced with three basic threat situations:

 Confidentiality: No unauthorized person should be able to read or copy information that s/he is not
supposed to read.

 Integrity: No unauthorized person should be able to modify information.

 Availability: No unauthorized person should be able to erase information or make it inaccessible.

The activities performed by search engines.

A search engine performs, the following three actions:

1. Web crawling, 2. Indexing, 3. Searching

Web crawler is a computer program that browses the web pages of WWW in a systematic, automated
manner. They are used to create a copy of the pages visited by them for later processing to create Index.

The search engine may provide some information relating to relevance of information may be in the
form of Ranking. This called Indexing.

When a user enters a query into a search engine, the engine examines its index and provides a listing of
best-matching web pages according to its ranking criteria. This is called searching.

Diagnostic tools in a computer.

Power-On Self-Test (POST):

This isn't a separate diagnostic utility in fact built into our system BIOS and it runs every time we start up
our PC automatically. It is often the best indicator of system problems.

Microsoft Diagnostics:

Known as "MSD.EXE", this is a small DOS utility that takes a brief inventory of the contents of your PC
and shows them to you in a text-based format. This is very useful for seeing what disks are in the
system, how much memory is installed, and also for checking system resource usage.

Tools for collaboration on Internet.

MediaWiki

Media Wiki is the software in which Wikipedia and IOCG wiki of IGNOU have been developed. It is a very
simple tool that allows multiple people to make and commit changes in a document.

Zoho

Zoho is a division of ZOHO Corporation, a US-based Software Company. Zoho is a very good site for
collaboration. It allows simple mundane tasks like group editing, document sharing, group chat, etc. also
provides some management tasks like milestone tracking, invoice creation, and other team tasks.

Subroutine:

In most cases, a subroutine needs some information about the circumstances in which it has been
called. A procedure that performs repeated or shared tasks uses different information for each call. This
information consists of variables, constants, and expressions that you pass to the procedure when you
call it.

Function:

Functions can be called from the main program or from anywhere else, even from within itself. Program
control will transfer to function definition statement as soon they are called and then return back to
next statement immediately after the calling point.