Section: Laboratory Assignment

• Your teacher will provide for you either an opened computer system or a picture of a typical system. Identify and label at least the following components of that system:
  • The CPU
  • RAM Memory
  • The Motherboard
  • The expansion slots
  • The Hard drive
  • A Floppy drive
  • The Keyboard
  • The mouse
  • The monitor
  • The device / driver controller card
  • The power supply
  • Serial / Parallel ports
  • Any other special cards or devices attached to the machine

• 'Practice' purchasing a computer. Decide on a reasonable budget. Determine what kinds of things you want to be able to do with your computer. Which programs will you need to be able to run? Write down the specifications of at least three kinds of software you would like to be able to run on your new computer. Go to computer stores and magazines, and find a computer that will run that particular software. How much will it cost? Will it do what you want? Use a word processor to write out answers to all the above questions with a narrative of the shopping experience.

• Decipher a computer advertisement. Your instructor will give you a computer advertisement, or you can seek one out from a computer store or a magazine. Write down all the 'code words' for that computer. Translate each code phrase into its meaning in English. If you don't know a particular phrase, make an informed guess (try researching before making a completely blind guess). Use a word processor to write out this process in a table form and turn it into your teacher.