| A | B |
|---|
| Binary | Meaning two. The principle behind digital computers. |
| BIOS | A chip in a PC that provides an interface between the operating system and the peripheral hardware. |
| Cable | A flexible metal or glass wire or group of wires |
| Connector | Any plug, socket or wire that links two devices together. |
| CPU | The "brain" of the computer where all the processing is actually performed. |
| Expansion Card | All the boards (cards) that plug into a personal computer's motherboard are expansion boards, such as display adapters, disk controllers, modems, network cards, and sound cards. |
| Hardware | Machinery and equipment (CPU, disks, tapes, modem, cables, etc.), the parts of the computer you can touch |
| Hexadecimal | The base 16 numbering system is used as a shorthand for representing binary numbers (from 0 to 9 and then A to F). |
| Keyboard | A set of input keys, which include the standard typewriter keys and several specialized keys. |
| Monitor | A display screen used to present output from a computer, camera, VCR or other video generator. |
| Mouse | An object used as a pointing and drawing device. As it is rolled across the desktop, the screen cursor (pointer) moves correspondingly. |
| Octal | A numbering system that uses eight digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7). |
| Operating System | The master control program that runs the computer. |
| POST | A series of built-in diagnostics that are performed when the computer is first started. |
| RAM | A group of memory chips that function as the computer's primary workspace. |
| ROM | A memory chip that permanently stores instructions and data. |
| Software | Instructions for the computer |
| Sound Card | Also called sound board and audio adapter, it is a personal computer expansion board that records and plays back sound, providing outputs directly to speakers or an external amplifier |
| System Case | The box that contains all the internal devices, cards, etc., that make the computer run. |
| Video Card | An expansion board that plugs into a desktop computer that converts the images created in the computer to the electronic signals required by the monitor |
| POST (acronym) | Power On Self Test |
| RAM (acronym) | Random Access Memory |
| ROM (acronym) | Read Only Memory |
| CPU (acronym) | Central Processing Unit |
| BIOS (acronym) | Basic Input Output System |
