CS0001A Introduction to Computing
Week 1
Familiarisation with the BBL and some basics of computing
1. You should have had a nice summer break. It is now the time to refresh you “computing
mind”. To start with, let’s try to logon to the Brunel Blackboard Learning system:
(1) Login to http://www.brunel.ac.uk/blackboard
(2) Find the module CS0001
(3) Download the PPT files of the lecture slides and read them
(4) Read the announcement
(5) Follow links to extra reading materials and find web pages that have been recommended.
(6) Explore the Course Content Section for other useful material and information
2. (Multiple choice) Computers are useful in all of mobile phones, fridges, cars, aircraft,
televisions, power stations. This statement is
(a) True (b) False (c) not sure
3. (Multiple choice) Computer science is a discipline that involves the understanding and design
of computers and computational processes. It is
(a) Mathematical discipline (b) Scientific discipline (c) Engineering discipline (d)
Interdisciplinary
4. Suppose a digital camera has a storage capacity of 256M. How many photographs could be
stored in the camera if each consisted of 1024 pixels per row and 1024 pixels per column if
each pixel required three bytes of storage?
5. Suppose a typist could type 60 words per minute continuously day after day. How long would
it take for the typist to fill a CD whose capacity is 640MB? Assume one word is five characters
and each character requires one byte of storage.
6. You have 70 coins which are all supposed to be gold coins of the same weight, although you
know that one coin is fake and weighs less than the others. You have a balance scale; you can
put any number of coins on each side of the scale at one time, and it will tell you if the two
sides weigh the same, or which side is lighter if they don’t weigh the same.
(1) Outline an algorithm for finding the fake coin.
(2) How many times do you have to weigh in the worst case? Please note that easiest
approach is not necessarily the best approach!