Computer Fundamentals and System Concepts

The original Pentium 4 processors (Willamette and Northwood cores) launched in 2000-2001 used the Socket 478 package. Socket 775 (LGA 775) came later with the Prescott core. 778 and 320 are not valid Intel socket numbers for Pentium 4.

Intel Core i3 processors use newer sockets like LGA 1156, LGA 1155, LGA 1150, or LGA 1151 depending on the generation. LGA 775 was used for older processors like Pentium 4, Core 2 Duo, and Core 2 Quad - they are physically and electrically incompatible.

False. Most video cards draw sufficient power from the PCIe slot, which provides up to 75W. External power connectors (6-pin or 8-pin) are only required for high-end GPUs that exceed this power budget.

Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline, an early mechanical calculating machine, in 1642. He was not associated with computers or cinema.

In computing, OS stands for Operating System - the fundamental software that manages computer hardware and software resources. Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android are all examples of operating systems.

Blaise Pascal (note: spelling error in question) invented the Pascaline, one of the earliest mechanical calculators in 1642. It could perform addition and subtraction. While not a modern computer, it was a pioneering calculating machine. Cinema did not exist in Pascal's time.

At the time this question was likely authored (late 2010), the Tianhe-1A from China was ranked as the world's fastest supercomputer. Since then, rankings have changed frequently, but the answer is historically accurate for that period.

Hardware refers to the physical, tangible parts of a computer system, such as the monitor, keyboard, and internal circuitry. Software is intangible code, and 'peripheral' refers to external hardware devices.

This is a standard textbook definition of a computer. A computer is an electronic device that accepts input (data), processes it according to stored instructions (software/programs), produces output, and stores results. Input is just the data entry process, software is the code itself, and hardware is the physical components - none of these fully capture the complete definition.

Software consists of the programs, data, and instructions that tell a computer how to perform specific tasks. Hardware refers to the physical components, while the CPU is a specific piece of hardware that executes those instructions.

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is installed on the motherboard inside the computer tower and is responsible for executing instructions and coordinating all computer operations - earning it the metaphor 'heart of the computer'. Peripherals are external devices, programs/software are instructions, not hardware components.

Peripherals are external hardware devices attached to and communicating with the computer tower, such as keyboards, mice, monitors, printers, and external drives. The CPU is inside the tower (internal component), software is programs (code), and storage (like hard drives) can be internal or external - but peripherals specifically refers to attached external devices.

Storage devices like hard drives, SSDs, and USB drives retain information even when power is off. Input devices send data to the computer, output devices display results, and software is the code that runs on hardware.

PC stands for Personal Computer, which refers to a microcomputer designed for use by one person at a time. The other options are incorrect interpretations or claim it is not an acronym.

PC is a common abbreviation with multiple valid meanings depending on context: Personal Computer (technology context) and Politically Correct (social/cultural context). Since both are widely used and correct in their respective contexts, option C is right.