Data Representations

Data Representations
3.1 Bit & Byte
Bit represent each 0 and 1 in binary system. Bit lower case 'b' .
Byte - to represent letters, numbers and special characters, bits are
combined into groups.
8 bits 1 byte
1 byte represents one character or letter or value (Letter Y)
8 bits can represent 256 different data because, 28 = 256.

3.2 Popular coding schemes to represent data

ASCII ( American Standard Code for Information

Interchange) - pronounced ask-ee.
EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange
Code) - pronounced eb-see-dic.
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Binary system ( 0=OFF and 1=ON)

How is a letter converted to binary form and back?

Step 1.

Step 2.

The user presses

the capital letter
D (shift+D key)
on the keyboard.

Step 4.
After processing, the binary
code for the capital letter D is
converted to an image, and
displayed on the output
device.

An electronic signal for the

capital letter D is sent to
the system unit.

Step 3.
The signal for the capital letter
D is converted to its ASCII
binary code (01000100) and is
stored in memory for
processing.
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Unit

Kilobyte (K, KB) - is about 1000B or to be exact 1024B

Megabyte (M, MB) - is about 1 million bytes.
Gigabytes (G, GB) - is about 1 billion bytes.
Terabytes (T, TB) - represents about 1 trillion bytes

Example1 : convert 1GB to KB

Binary Digit
1 Nibble/ word
1 Byte
1 Kilobyte
1 Megabyte
1 Gigabyte
1 Terabyte
1 Petabyte
1 Exabyte
1 Zettabyte
1 Yottabyte
1 Brontobyte
1 Geopbyte

=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

1 Bit
4 Bits
8 Bits
1024 Bytes
1024 Kilobytes
1024 Megabytes
1024 Gigabytes
1024 Terabytes
1024 Petabytes
1024 Exabytes
1024 Zettabytes
1024 Yottabytes
1024 Brontobytes

Now you try

If half page of text is
approximately 1KB, what is the
size of a file with 2000 pages.
Give your answer in MB.
1 page = 2kb
2000 pages = 2kb x 2000
= 4000 kb
4000 kb = 4000 / 1024
= 3.9 MB

Can you solve

7
this???

Memory
Memory Devices
(RAM,ROM,PROM,EPROM)

Types of System Unit Memory

volatile memory
Loses its contents when
computer's power
is turned off

nonvolatile
memory
Does NOT lose its
contents when
computers power is
turned off

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Main Memory (RAM)

Also known as primary storage, internal memory, random
access memory (RAM) or memory .
Is a working storage with following tasks :
It holds data for processing
Holds instructions to process data
Holds data after it is processed, waiting to be sent to an
output or secondary storage device
Its content are temporary / volatile .
Size determines total size of programs and data files that
the computer can work at any time.
More memory more data faster.

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 What are two basic types of RAM chips?

Most
common
type

Must be
refreshed
constantly

Static
RAM
(SRAM)
Dynamic
RAM
(DRAM)

Do not have to
be refreshed
as often as
DRAM

Faster and
more reliable
than DRAM
chips
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 Summary:
1. SRAM is static (Dont refreshed periodically) while DRAM is Dynamic (refreshed
periodically)
2. SRAM consists of Transistor while DRAM made up of Transistors & Capacitor
3. SRAM consumes less power than DRAM
4. SRAM is more expensive than DRAM
5. SRAM is faster compared to DRAM
6. Cheaper DRAM is used in main memory while SRAM is commonly used in
cache memory

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Read-only memory (ROM)

Contains programs and data that are permanently

recorded at the factory.
Can be read and used, but cannot be changed by
the user.
ROM is nonvolatile.

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CMOS
To store information about the computer such as:
The type of disk drives, keyboard and
monitor.
The current date and time, and other startup
information.
Use battery power to retain information even
when the power to the computer is turned off.

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 Types of ROMs
Programmable ROM (PROM)
Erasable programmable ROM (EPROM)
Electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM)

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3.3.4 Cache
Helps speed computer processes by storing
frequently used instructions and data.
Also called memory cache.

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4.1What is USB?
USB (universal serial bus) port can connect
up to 127 different peripherals together
with a single connector type (USB hub)

USB is plug and play

It has hot swap

features you dont
have to reboot the
system
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18

Storage

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What is storage?
Holds data, instructions, and information for future use
Storage medium is physical material used for storage
Also called secondary storage

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4.1 Criteria for rating secondary

storage
Storage capacity / size
High capacity storage devices are required for many
sophisticated programs and large databases.

Speed
People prefer whichever that is fast, but the problem is, it
will cost more. The fastest storage is RAM Hard Disk
CD USB Flash Drive, Floppy and Magnetic Tape. The
speed is usually measured by access time.

Access time
Refers to the average time needed to locate data on the
medium. Measured in ms for secondary storage, ns for
RAM.

Cost
The faster the storage device , the more expensive it is.
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4.2.1 Diskettes
shutter

A removable round, flat piece

of Mylar plastic that stores
data and programs.
Sizes of diskettes

shell
liner

3 -inches
magnetic
coating
metal hub
flexible thin film

4.2.1 Diskettes
Disk drive - device that holds,
spins and reads data from and
writes data to a diskette.
A diskette is inserted into a slot,
called the drive gate or drive
door.

4.2.2 Hard Disks

What is a hard disk?
High-capacity storage
Consists of several inflexible,
circular platters that store
items electronically
Components enclosed in
airtight, sealed case for
protection

hard disk mounted

in system unit

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4.2.2 Hard Disks

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4.2.2 Hard Disks

What is a head crash?
Occurs when read/write head touches platter surface
Spinning creates cushion of air that floats read/write
head above platter
Clearance between head and platter is
approximately two-millionths of an inch
A smoke particle, dust particle, or human hair
could render drive unusable

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 What are tracks and sectors?

Track
is narrow
recording band
that forms full
circle on disk

Sector
stores up to
512 bytes
of data

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Sectors and Clusters

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4.3 Optical Disk Storage

Is a removable disk on which data is written and read
through the use of laser beams.
A high-power laser beam is used to represent data by
burning tiny pits into the surface of a hard-plastic disk.
To read data, a low-powered laser light scans the disk
surface
Main types of optical storage are :CD-R, CD-RW and DVD.

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4.3 Optical Disk Storage

disc label

lens

pit
0
prism

Step 1.
Laser diode
shines a light
beam toward
disc.

laser
diode

lightsensing
diode

lens

land
Step 2.
If light strikes
a pit, it
scatters. If
light strikes a
land, it is
reflected back
toward diode.

1
prism

laser
diode

lightsensing
diode

Step 3.
Reflected light is
deflected to a
light-sensing
diode, which
sends digital
signals of 1 to
computer.
Absence of
reflected light is
read as digital
signal of 0.
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CD-R (compact disc - recordable)

Permits writing on optical disk where CD-R drive, CD-R
disks and accompanying software are required. Once
written, data can't be modified
CD-RW (rewritable)
Erasable disc allows you write on it multiple times. To
write on CD-RW, you must use CD-RW drive
DVD-ROM (Digital video disc-ROM)
Looks like an audio compact disk but can store 4.7 to 17
GB, allowing great data storage, studio-quality video
images, and theater-like surround sound.

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4.4 Magnetic Tape Storage

One of the first storage used with mainframe
computer.
It's a thin plastic tape that has been coated with
substance that can be magnetized
Mainly used for backup
not used for primary method of
storage because it is a sequentialaccess media (slow to access data)

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4.4 Magnetic Tape Storage

How is data stored on a tape?

Sequential access
Reads and writes data consecutively, like music tape
Random access
Used on hard disks, CDs, and DVDs which can
locate particular item immediately

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