Page 16 - Viva ICSE Computer Studies 2 : E-book

Input Processing Output

Similarly, there are three basic steps involved in the working of a computer.

Input: Data and instructions entered into a computer

Processing: Working on the data by the CPU

Output: The fi nal result obtained

A computer cannot work on its own. It needs instructions to work. There are

certain steps that a computer follows to perform a task. Before we learn about
the working of a computer, let’s learn about some terms related to it.

Input-Process-Output (IPO) Cycle

The input-process-output (IPO) cycle is a system that consists of input, output

and the steps required to change the input into output.

The components of the IPO cycle are described below.

Input (I) – Information, idea or resource given

Processing (P) – Actions performed to change input into output

Output (O) – The result of processing

Let’s understand this with the given example.

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