How is a computer so powerful?

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Question:

How is a computer so powerful?

Answer:

Computers are powerful for a variety of reasons. They operate with amazing speed, reliability, and accuracy. Computers can store huge amounts of data and information. Also, computers allow users to communicate with other users or computers.

Speed
In the system unit, operations occur through electronic circuits. When data, instructions, and information flow along these circuits, they travel at incredibly fast speeds. Most computers carry out billions of operations a single second. The world's fastest computer can perform trillions of operations in one second.

Reliability and Consistency
The electronic components in modern computers are dependable because they have a low failure rate. The high reliability of components enables the computer to produce consistent results.

Accuracy
Computers process large amounts of data and generate error-free results provided the data input is correctly and the instructions work properly. If data is inaccurate, the resulting output will be incorrect. A computing phrase - known as garbage in, garbage out - points out that the accuracy of a computer's output depends on the accuracy of the input.

Storage
With current storage devices, the computer can transfer data quickly from storage to memory, process it, and then store it again for future use. Many computers store enormous amounts of data and make this data available for processing anytime it is needed.

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Article revision: 2/28/09