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Day 4: Mathematics - Evolution of Computing » More questions
Photo of Dan McHugh
Dan (host): Take a look at some more questions and answers relating to the evolution of computing below...
Question:
How is it possible for more and more data to be stored on smaller and smaller devices, like a micro SD card?
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Photo of Sam Cater
Answer:
As semiconductor manufacturing processes get better and cheaper, the cost to do complicated super-precise work is shrinking. For microSD cards, their size is determined by how many electrical transistors you can fit in a given space. As the manufacturing techniques improve, we are able to fit more and smaller transistors on a microSD card circuit board. Usually, when sizes 'grow', they double, which means that a manufacturing process was able to fit twice as many transistors in a given space as before.
Question:
How would you go about producing a space visual simulation?
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Photo of Dr Amelia Drew
Answer:
To produce a simulation, you need to write a computer code that outputs your data in a format that is compatible with visualisation software. This way, you can output files as your code runs, and your chosen software can take that data and turn it into a visualisation.
Question:
What does the future of computing look like?
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Photo of Ian Neild
Answer:
What the future of computers looks like will depend on you and what you come up with as you enter the industry as future experts. What we do know is that the capabilities of computers have improved and are still on track to keep improving. Computers can do more but they are also smaller, lighter and use less power, so they get used for more applications. Did you know, in many ways, a mid-range cray super computer from 1985 would be on par with an iPhone6. One was used to model space shuttles and the other to play games and didn't use Megawatts of power. If I'd have suggested to the owners of that super computer in 1985 that their million dollar super computer would be put in a pocket and used to play Flappy Bird, I don't think many people would have taken me seriously.
Question:
Is there a subject within maths that would help me with understanding computing? And is binary a kind of maths?
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Photo of Claudia Cristina
Answer:
A subject which would help you to understand how computers work would be binary and maths logic. Other maths subjects which may be beneficial would be algebra or discrete maths, but the level in which you'd need to delve into each subject really depends on what area of computing you're interested in. For example, to write code (software developing) you don't need to have a deep knowledge of mathematics whereas a data science career would require a deeper knowledge base.
What is binary? Binary is actually a numeric system that only uses 2 digits. These digits are 0 and 1. We, as humans, typically use the decimal numeric system but computers only use the binary system – this means computers store data and perform actions using only 0s and 1s. Here is a useful resource which explains how the binary system works and how binary actually stores numbers.
Question:
Do computers use different code languages?
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Photo of Amelia Winterburn
Answer:
Absolutely, there are hundreds of different languages and most of them are invented for different purposes and uses. Python is an all-rounder language that was designed to be simple for humans to understand and work with, but it sacrifices some of the 'clever' things which other languages can do as a compromise. Other more complex languages like C run on computers extremely quickly and let you do almost anything possible to a computer and its hardware, but it's difficult to learn by comparison.
Got a question? email computerscience@bt.com
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