← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

Sorting a device's parts into input, process, store and output

Each part of a digital system has one main job, so you can sort it as input (sends data in), process (works on it), store (keeps it) or output (shows results).

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Inside Digital Systems — Module 14, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Hardware and Performance — Module 4

Understanding Sorting a device's parts into input, process, store and output in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

What it does: Storage keeps data for a long time, so saved photos on a phone are sorted as store. A touchscreen is a part with two jobs. It shows results as output and it also takes in your touches as input. The CPU works on data and follows instructions. That is processing. It does not keep your files. The picture is a result coming OUT of the console, so it is output. Playing sound is a result the phone gives to you, so the speaker is output. Most parts have one main job, such as a microphone for input or a CPU for process. A few, like a touchscreen, have two.

Common mistakes: A microphone sends sound data into the phone, so it is an input part. It should be: microphone = input. A controller sends the player's button presses into the console, so it is an input part. It should be: controller = input.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 5–26) and word search (Modules 5–43).

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Learning
Duo
A phone's touchscreen lets you tap to choose an app. Which job is that?
InputOutput
Matches
Speaker = input
↓
A speaker sends sound out to you, so it is output, not input.
Applying
Meanings
Term
input, process, store, output
Meaning
Each part of a digital system has one main job, so you can sort it as input (sends data in), process (works on it), store (keeps it) or output (shows results).
Practice
Phone parts:
Testing
Gaps
sort("phone microphone", "")
Check Answer
Spots
1# Sorting phone parts
2microphone = output

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Quick Questions

1. A phone's touchscreen lets you tap to choose an app. Which job is that?
A. Input ✓
B. Output
Tapping sends data IN to the phone, so the touch part is input. The screen's display part shows pictures, which is output.
2. A phone's CPU works out what to do when you open a game. Which job is that?
A. Store
B. Process ✓
The CPU works on data and follows instructions. That is processing. It does not keep your files.
3. A games console has a hard drive that keeps your saved games. Which job is that?
A. Store ✓
B. Process
A hard drive keeps data even when the console is off. Keeping data is the store job.
4. A games console sends the picture to the TV through its HDMI port. Which job is that?
A. Output ✓
B. Input
The picture is a result coming OUT of the console, so it is output.
5. A controller's joystick moves your character. Which is the best sort for the joystick?
A. Process
B. Input ✓
The joystick sends your moves into the console. It does not work them out. The CPU does that.

Match the Pairs

Phone touchscreen (tap) → Input: it sends your taps and swipes into the phone
Games console CPU → Process: it works on the game's data and decides what happens next
A part that keeps your saved games and photos even when the device is off has the job of store → Phone storage (saved photos)
A part with two jobs: a touchscreen shows pictures (output) and also senses your taps (input) → Touchscreen = output + input
Speaker = input → A speaker sends sound out to you, so it is output, not input.
Controller buttons = store → Controller buttons send your presses into the console, so they are input, not store.

Key Term

input, process, store, output
Each part of a digital system has one main job, so you can sort it as input (sends data in), process (works on it), store (keeps it) or output (shows results).

Fill in the Blanks

1. sort("phone microphone", "input")
Hint: Type the job word for a part that sends sound data into the phone.
2. sort("console CPU", "process")
Hint: Type the job word for a part that works on data, like running game rules.
3. sort("phone storage chip", "store")
Hint: Type the job word for a part that keeps your photos and apps.
4. sort("console speakers", "output")
Hint: Type the job word for a part that shows or plays results to the player.
5. sort("touchscreen", "input") sort("touchscreen", "output")
Hint: A touchscreen has two jobs. Type the second job, which shows pictures to you.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A # Sorting phone parts
B microphone = output
C CPU = process
D storage = store
E speaker = output
Line B — A microphone sends sound data into the phone, so it is an input part. It should be: microphone = input.
Question 2
A # Sorting console parts
B controller = store
C processor = process
D hard drive = store
E TV screen = output
Line B — A controller sends the player's button presses into the console, so it is an input part. It should be: controller = input.
Question 3
A # Phone parts
B camera = input
C speaker = store
D CPU = process
Line C — A speaker plays sound for the user to hear. It shows results, so it is an output part, not a store part. It should be: speaker = output.
Question 4
A touchscreen = process
B CPU = process
C SSD = store
D screen = output
Line A — The touch part of a touchscreen sends your taps in as data, so its main job here is input. It does not work on the data. It should be: touchscreen = input.
Question 5
A # Games console parts
B controller = input
C CPU = process
D hard drive = process
E TV = output
Line D — A hard drive keeps games and saved files, so it is a store part. The CPU does the processing. It should be: hard drive = store.

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