C++ and Algorithmic Thinking for the Complete Beginner

Chapter 1 How a Computer Works

1.1 Introduction

In today's society, almost every task requires the use of a computer. In schools, students use computers to search the Internet and to send emails. At work, people use them to make presentations, to analyze data, and to communicate with customers. At home, people use computers to play games, to connect to social networks and to chat with other people all over the world. Of course, don't forget smartphones such as iPhones. They are computers as well!

Computers can perform so many different tasks because of their ability to be programmed. In other words, a computer can perform any job that a program tells it to. A program is a set of statements (often called instructions or commands) that a computer ...