Where does a number begin?
A library wants to know which books are borrowed most. Every number in that table started somewhere. A reader beeped a barcode. A tablet took a survey answer. A small gadget in the reading room sent the heat.
Data work starts with devices that bring data in, and ends with devices that show the result.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Input device | sends data into a computer | a keyboard |
| Output device | shows or plays data from a computer | a printer |
| Sensor | a device that measures something in the real world | |
| Resolution | how many tiny dots make up a picture | 1920 by 1080 |
| Embedded device | a small computer hidden inside a machine | |
| Barcode | a pattern of lines that stands for a number |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can sort devices into input, output and sensor, and say what each one does in data work.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Input devices send data in
An input device sends data into a computer. You press, speak, point or scan, and the computer receives it.
Many data sets begin at an input device. A survey answer typed on a tablet and a book scanned at a desk are both new rows in a table.
Common input devices
| Device | What it sends in | Data work example |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard | Letters and numbers | Typing survey answers into a sheet |
| Mouse or trackpad | Pointer movement and clicks | Picking a column to sort |
| Touch screen | Where your finger touches | A survey on a tablet |
| Microphone | Sound | Recording an interview |
| Webcam | Moving pictures | A video meeting about the results |
| Scanner | A picture of a page | Turning paper forms into files |
| Barcode reader | The number in a barcode | Library loans and stock checks |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check
Have a go
Check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.