Big Idea 4 Overview: Computer Systems and Networks
Chloe Evans
10 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers Big Idea 4: Computer Systems and Networks for the AP Computer Science Principles exam. It focuses on the Internet, fault tolerance, and parallel/distributed computing. Key topics include routing, packets, protocols, redundancy, speedup calculations, and comparing different computing approaches. The guide also provides practice questions and exam tips.
#AP Computer Science Principles: Big Idea 4 - The Internet 🌐
Hey! Let's get you prepped for the AP Exam. This guide focuses on computer systems, networks, and the internet. It's designed to be your go-to resource the night before the exam, so let's make every minute count!
#Big Idea 4: Computer Systems and Networks
#The Core Idea
This Big Idea is all about understanding how computers connect and communicate, especially through the internet. It's about how data moves, how systems are built to be reliable, and how we can speed things up using different computing approaches.
#Exam Weighting
- 11-15% of the AP Exam (approx. 10 questions)
- Not tested in the Create Project
This section is crucial for understanding how the internet works and how to optimize computing solutions. It's a blend of theory and practical application, so pay close attention!
#4.1 The Internet
Learning Objectives:
- Explain how computing devices work together in a network.
- Explain how the Internet works.
- Explain how data are sent through the Internet via packets.
- Describe the differences between the Internet and the World Wide Web.
Focus on the "explain" questions. Understanding the how is key, not just the what.
#Key Concepts
- Computing Devices vs. Computing Systems vs. Computer Networks: A device is a single unit, a system is a collection of devices, and a network connects systems.
- Routing: The process of finding the best path for data to travel across a network.
- Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transmitted over a network in a given time, measured in bits per second (bps).
- How the Internet Works:
- Devices connect using protocols.
- Data is sent in packets.
- Scalability is crucial for handling the growing number of users.
- Data Streams and Packets: Data is broken into packets for transmission, each with metadata for routing.
- Common Protocols: TCP/IP, HTTP, DNS (more on these later!).
- Internet vs. World Wide Web: The internet is the infrastructure, while the web is a service that runs on it.
The internet is a network of networks, and the World Wide Web is just one application that uses the internet.
#Vocabulary
- Computing Device: A physical piece of hardware that can run programs.
- Computing System: A group of computing devices working together.
- Computer Network: A system that connects multiple computers.
- Bandwidth: The capacity of a network connection.
- Internet: A global network of networks.
- Protocols: Rules for communication between devices.
- Scalability: The ability of a system to handle a growing amount of work.
- Server: A computer that provides services to other computers.
- Router: A device that forwards data packets between networks.
- Sender: The device transmitting data.
- Receiver: The device receiving data.
- Routing: The process of selecting paths for network traffic.
- Data Streams: Continuous flow of data.
- Packets: Small units of data transmitted over a network.
- World Wide Web: A system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet.
#Resources
Practice Question
Multiple Choice:
- Which of the following best describes the primary function of a router in a computer network? (A) To store data for long-term access (B) To manage user accounts and permissions ...
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