This blog post explains in simple terms what each of the main parts of a computer does and how they work together to deliver optimal performance.
How are computer parts similar to solving math problems?
Since the dawn of humanity, primitive societies have undergone the agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution, and the information revolution, gradually developing in a direction that makes life easier for people. Among these, the most significant change brought about by the information revolution is that computers have become widely available to many people. In today’s information society, it is rare to find someone who does not own or use a computer. However, even if most people use computers, they are unlikely to know much about the internal components that make up a computer unless they have a special interest in them. Therefore, when purchasing a pre-assembled computer, it can be difficult to know how to buy parts, or when you want to improve the performance of your computer by replacing parts, which parts to upgrade for maximum efficiency.
Here, we will explain the basic components necessary for a computer to function and what they do in an easy-to-understand manner. When a computer runs a program, it actually performs numerous calculations on countless pieces of data consisting of 0s and 1s. This can be likened to a student solving math problems. In order to solve math problems, a student will sit in their room, take out their math book from the bookshelf, and solve the problems in their notebook. The parts that are essential for a computer to function are the CPU, RAM, power supply, hard disk, and motherboard. Let’s take a look at the similarities between these parts and a student solving math problems.
CPU: The student’s brain
First, the CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the student solving the problem. The smarter the student is, the faster they will be able to solve math problems. Of course, in reality, the more problems students solve, the better they become at solving them, and the faster they will be able to solve math problems, but the student in this example has no learning ability, so even if they solve problems, their skills will not improve. In short, the CPU performs various calculations directly within the computer, so upgrading the CPU will speed up the computer’s calculation speed. Applying the concept of upgrading the CPU to the situation of a student solving problems is similar to asking a student who studies better to solve math problems.
RAM: Student’s notebook
RAM (random access memory) is a notebook that students use to solve math problems. If they have many notebooks, they will be able to solve many problems. However, if they do not have enough notebooks, they will fill them up with solutions, and they will not be able to solve any more problems, which will slow down their speed and make it impossible for them to solve any more problems. Similarly, a computer’s CPU temporarily stores the necessary data in RAM, which has faster access speed than the hard disk, and performs calculations. When you turn on your computer and use it for a long time, you may notice that it becomes slower and sluggish. This is because many applications are running without your knowledge, using a lot of RAM. Therefore, if you add RAM to increase its capacity, your computer will not slow down even if you run many programs at the same time.
Power: Energy for students
Power can be seen as providing all the energy that enables students to solve math problems. For example, meals that give students the energy to think and solve problems, and the electrical energy to turn on the lights on their bookshelves, all fall under this category.
Just as students and lamps require different amounts of energy, a computer’s power supply receives electricity at a certain voltage and converts it to the appropriate voltage required by each component. If the power supply cannot provide the power required by the components, the computer will not turn on. Therefore, when upgrading other components, the power supply must also be taken into consideration.
Hard disk: Student’s bookshelf
A hard disk is like a bookshelf. A student’s bookshelf for solving math problems will be filled with books containing math formulas and problems. Just as a larger bookshelf can hold more books, a larger hard disk can store more data. Based on the above, you might think that the hard disk does not affect the speed of the computer, but that is not the case. When a computer performs calculations, it needs to retrieve data from the hard disk to the CPU and RAM, and then write the calculated results back to the hard disk. Therefore, the access speed between them affects the speed of the computer. A hard disk with a fast access speed can be likened to a bookshelf that is easy to take books out of and put them back in, while a hard disk with a slow access speed can be likened to a bookshelf that is difficult to use.
Motherboard: Student’s room
Finally, the motherboard is the room where students solve problems. Students will sit in their rooms with bookshelves next to them, take out their math books, and solve math problems in their notebooks. Similarly, the CPU is placed on the motherboard, and both the RAM and hard disk are connected to the motherboard. It serves to bring all the parts together in one place. Let’s return to the student solving math problems. No matter how smart the student is or how many exercise books they have, if the room is noisy or the space to sit is cramped, it will interfere with their ability to solve problems. In the case of computers, even if the CPU and RAM are high-performance, if the motherboard is underpowered, problems such as computer errors may occur.
Additional parts
Other components of a computer include a graphics card, which is necessary for displaying images on the monitor, and an ODD for reading CD-ROMs, but these do not play an important role in the computer’s calculations. However, graphics cards are important components for games and graphic design work, and are essential for tasks that require high performance. Coolers and fans, which manage the heat generated by the computer, also play an important role. If heat is not properly managed, components may malfunction or become damaged, so it is important to upgrade the cooling system.
So far, we have briefly explained the essential components of a computer for performing calculations, comparing them to students solving math problems. If you have a general understanding of what each part of a computer does, as explained above, it will be very helpful when choosing parts to build a computer or upgrading your computer by replacing some parts. To optimize the performance of your computer, it is important to choose parts that work well together so that you can achieve the performance you want.
