2 CHAPTER 1.INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE In our College of Engineering you will encounter faculty and staff who might otherwise have been called Mathematicians,Physicists,Chemists and Biologists. What is a computer? Again,we appeal at first to some standard reference texts. American Heritage Dictionary 1.One (a person)who computes. Some of the best examples: -Richard Feynman's computers-teams of people working out calculations during the Manhattan Project Calculation of ballistics tables for WWIl -Calculation of sine/cosine/logarithm tables 2.A device (a machine)that computes,especially a programmable electronic machine that performs high-speed mathematical or logical operations or that assembles,stores correlates,or otherwise processes information. Oxford English Dictionary 1.One who computes;a calculator,reckoner;spec.a person employed to make calcu- lations in an observatory,in surveying,etc.(Earliest reference 1646). 2.A calculating-machine;esp.an automatic electronic device for performing mathe- matical or logical operations;freg.with defining word prefixed,as analogue,digital, electronic computer (see these words).(Earliest reference 1897). McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology A device that receives,processes,and presents information.The two basic types of computers are analog and digital.Although generally not regarded as such,the most prevalent computer is the simple mechanical analog computer,in which gears,levers, ratchets,and pawls perform mathematical operations-for example,the speedometer and the watt-hour meter (used to measure accumulated electrical usage).The general public has become much more aware of the digital computer with the rapid proliferation of the hand-held calculator and a large variety of intelligent devices,ranging from typewriters to washing machines. Our definition A“device”that 1.accepts some form of input (usually disorganized or of some highly specific nature), 2.responds to this input information in a "pre-determined"(programmed)way, 3.produces some form of output (usually more organized or coherent than the input) Some common examples of computers2 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE In our College of Engineering you will encounter faculty andstaff who might otherwise have been calledMathematicians, Physicists, Chemists andBiologists. What is a computer? Again, we appeal at first to some standard reference texts. American Heritage Dictionary 1. One (a person) who computes. Some of the best examples: - RichardFeynman’s computers—teams of people working out calculations during the Manhattan Project - Calculation of ballistics tables for WWII - Calculation of sine/cosine/logarithm tables 2. A device (a machine) that computes, especially a programmable electronic machine that performs high-speedmathematical or logical operations or that assembles, stores, correlates, or otherwise processes information. Oxford English Dictionary 1. One who computes; a calculator, reckoner; spec. a person employedto make calcu￾lations in an observatory, in surveying, etc. (Earliest reference 1646). 2. A calculating-machine; esp. an automatic electronic device for performing mathe￾matical or logical operations; freq. with defining word prefixed, as analogue, digital, electronic computer (see these words). (Earliest reference 1897). McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology A device that receives, processes, and presents information. The two basic types of computers are analog and digital. Although generally not regarded as such, the most prevalent computer is the simple mechanical analog computer, in which gears, levers, ratchets, andpawls perform mathematical operations – for example, the speedometer andthe watt-hour meter (usedto measure accumulatedelectrical usage). The general public has become much more aware of the digital computer with the rapid proliferation of the hand-heldcalculator anda large variety of intelligent devices, ranging from typewriters to washing machines. Our definition A “device” that 1. accepts some form of input (usually disorganized or of some highly specific nature), 2. responds to this input information in a “pre-determined” (programmed) way, 3. produces some form of output (usually more organized or coherent than the input) Some common examples of computers