← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

What happens when a part is missing or too small

A bottleneck is one part that is missing, full or too small and holds back the whole system. No input or output, full storage or too little RAM stops a device working well.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Inside Digital Systems — Module 18, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Hardware and Performance — Module 7

Understanding What happens when a part is missing or too small in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

What it does: Storage keeps files for later. When all the space is used, there is no room left to save anything new. RAM holds the programs being used right now. When it is too small for all of them, the whole system slows down. Input devices like keyboards and mice are how we give a computer instructions. Without one, the system cannot be told what to do. A system is only as good as its weakest part. The small RAM is the bottleneck, even though the CPU is fast. Closing programs or adding RAM helps memory. Deleting photos frees storage, which is a different part from RAM.

Common mistakes: With no input device there is no way to tell the computer what to do. The line should set user_can_control to false. With no output device you cannot see the result, even though the computer worked it out. The line should set user_sees_result to false.

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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 computer has no keyboard, mouse or touchscreen. What is the problem?

There is no output device, so you cannot see anythingThere is no input device, so you cannot tell it what to do

Matches

My tablet storage is full, so I will add more RAM to save a new video.

↓

RAM is short-term memory for running programs. Saving a video needs storage space, so you must free up or add storage.

Applying

Meanings

Term

bottleneck

Meaning

A bottleneck is one part that is missing, full or too small and holds back the whole system. No input or output, full storage or too little RAM stops a device working well.

Practice

IF input device is missing THEN

Testing

Gaps

if storageFree 0:

Check Answer

Spots

3 PRINT 'No way to tell it'

4 user_can_control = true

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Quick Questions

1. A computer has no keyboard, mouse or touchscreen. What is the problem?

A. There is no output device, so you cannot see anything

B. There is no input device, so you cannot tell it what to do ✓

Input devices like keyboards and mice are how we give a computer instructions. Without one, the system cannot be told what to do.

2. A tablet works but its screen and speakers are broken. Which part is missing?

A. Input devices, so it cannot be controlled

B. Output devices, so you cannot see or hear the result ✓

Output devices such as screens and speakers show the results. Without them the tablet may be working, but you cannot see what it is doing.

3. You try to save a new photo but the device says the storage is full. What is the best fix?

A. Delete old files or add more storage ✓

B. Add a bigger screen

Full storage cannot hold new files. Making space or adding storage fixes the bottleneck. A bigger screen does not help.

4. Many programs are open at once and the computer gets very slow. Which part is probably too small?

A. RAM (memory) ✓

B. The speakers

RAM holds the programs you are using right now. Too little RAM makes many open programs run slowly.

5. True or false: a bottleneck is one part that holds back the whole system.

A. True ✓

B. False

Just like the narrow neck of a bottle slows the water, one missing, full or too small part slows the whole digital system.

Match the Pairs

No keyboard, mouse or touchscreen → With no input device, you have no way to tell the computer what to do

No screen or speakers → With no output device, you cannot see or hear the result of what the computer did

When storage is full, a device cannot save new files, photos or game progress → Storage: 64 GB used of 64 GB

Too little RAM makes a device slow when many programs are open at once → RAM: 2 GB with 10 programs open

My tablet storage is full, so I will add more RAM to save a new video. → RAM is short-term memory for running programs. Saving a video needs storage space, so you must free up or add storage.

My computer has no monitor, but it still shows my game on the screen. → Without an output device like a monitor, nothing can be shown. The game can run, but you cannot see it.

Key Term

bottleneck

A bottleneck is one part that is missing, full or too small and holds back the whole system. No input or output, full storage or too little RAM stops a device working well.

Fill in the Blanks

1. storageFree = 0 if storageFree == 0: print("Cannot save new files")

Hint: Type the operator that checks whether two values are equal, to see if the storage space left is zero.

2. hasOutput = False if not hasOutput: print("Cannot see the result")

Hint: Type the keyword that flips True to False, so the check runs when there is no output.

3. openPrograms = 12 if openPrograms > 8: print("RAM is full, so it is slow")

Hint: Type the comparison operator that means 'more than'.

4. inputDevice = "none" if inputDevice == "none": print("No way to give commands")

Hint: Type the function name that shows a message on the screen.

5. bottleneck = "storage" print("The slow part is the", bottleneck)

Hint: Type the variable name that holds the part holding back the whole system.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A input_device = none

B IF input_device = none THEN

C PRINT 'No way to tell it'

D user_can_control = true

Line D — With no input device there is no way to tell the computer what to do. The line should set user_can_control to false.

Question 2

A output_device = none

B result = process(data)

C IF output_device = none THEN

D user_sees_result = true

Line D — With no output device you cannot see the result, even though the computer worked it out. The line should set user_sees_result to false.

Question 3

A storage_free = 0

B IF storage_free > 0 THEN

C can_save_new_file = false

D END IF

Line B — The test must check whether storage is full (free space is 0). Full storage cannot save new files. It should be IF storage_free = 0 THEN.

Question 4

A IF ram_is_empty THEN

B computer_speed = slow

C ELSE

D computer_speed = fast

Line A — Too little RAM happens when RAM is full, which slows the computer. The test should be IF ram_is_full THEN.

Question 5

A open_programs = 20

B IF ram > programs_needed THEN

C system = slow

D END IF

Line B — The system slows down when there is less RAM than the open programs need. The test should use < not >.

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