LESSON 1 · 5 MIN
Meet the parts of a computer
Input, processing, storage and output — the four jobs every computer does.
Every computer, from a phone to a laptop, does four jobs: it takes input (keyboard, mouse, touch, microphone), processes it (the CPU), stores it (memory and storage) and gives output (screen, speakers, printer).
RAM is short-term memory: fast, but cleared when the power goes off. Storage (an SSD or hard drive) keeps your files even when the computer is off.
Once you know the four jobs, any new device becomes easier to understand.
Key idea
Input → process → store → output: that's how every computer works.
Try it
Look at a device near you and name one input and one output it has.