Page 20 - Viva ICSE Computer Studies 5 : E-book

error. Only if the data or the instructions we give to the computer are incorrect, then we
can expect it to give wrong results. Computers perform perfectly depending on how
accurate our instructions are.

Memory Capacity

Enormous amount of data can be stored in computers and retrieved almost
instantaneously.

Capability to be Programmed

A program is a set of instructions given to a computer. If a computer is programmed
once, then the same program can be executed as many times as we need. If a program
is fed fi rst and then the data are supplied, the computer does the execution in an orderly

manner and gives out the result. If we want to repeat the same process for another set
of data, we need not feed the program once again.

Versatility

There is no limitation for computer applications. If a problem can be broken into a
sequence of logical operations, then a computer can be used to solve that problem.
Nowadays, computers are programmed to do a specifi c work. These are called special

purpose computers. In factories, for example, computers are used to monitor the room
conditions including temperature. This application is called the process control.

Advantages of a Computer

We use computers to save a lot of manual work. A large amount of data can be stored
easily in the computers and thus computers have become a necessity in today’s world.

Some benefi ts of using the computers are as follows.

• Save time and perform calculations quickly and accurately.
• Avoid mistakes.

• Get high quality and error-free work.

• Get results printed out neatly.
• Store a large amount of data.

Limitations of a Computer

A computer has certain limitations. Let’s learn about them.

• Computers cannot think. They cannot do any task unless they are programmed with
specifi c instructions.

8