How A Computer Works

Table of Contents

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1 Badge criteria guidance

MarkIt

  • Knows that digital computers use binary to represent all data. (AB)
  • Understands how bit patterns represent numbers. (AB)
  • Knows that computers transfer data in binary. (AB)
  • Understands the relationship between binary and file size (uncompressed). (AB)
  • Understands the von Neumann architecture in relation to the fetch- execute cycle, including how data is stored in memory. (AB) (GE)
  • Understands the basic function and operation of location addressable memory.(AB)
  • Performs simple operations using bit patterns e.g. binary addition. (AB) (AL)
  • Understands the relationship between binary and electrical circuits, including Boolean logic. (AB)
  • Below guidance has been provided for the award of badges.
Lesson Title Silver Gold Platinum
Beautiful Binary Convert between binary and denary Convert between denary and binary Perform simple binary addition
Tiny Transistors and nano NANDS Understand that transistors can act as switches Understand how transistors can form NAND gates Draw transistor arrangements for other gates
CombiNANDS Predict outputs from simple NANDS combinations Understand how NANDS can combine to form AND, OR and XOR gates Understand how a D-Latch and adder work
Lovely Logic Use a Full Adder to perform calculations Implement a Full Adder in code Implement a Subtractor in code
Volatile and Non-volatile storage Understand the terms bit, nibble, byte. Understand how text is represented by binary s Understand how images can be stored as binary
CPU operations Know that RAM stores CPU instructions Understand the basics of Von Neumann architecture Be able to describe the basics of the fetch-execute cycle
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