Input devices Cambridge IGCSE Information & Communication Technology revision
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In plain words
An input device is any piece of hardware used to enter data into a computer. The exam rarely asks you to list them. It asks which one suits a situation, and why.
7 things to know
- A keyboard enters text. It is familiar and fast for a trained typist, but slow for others, and errors are easy to make. A numeric keypad enters numbers only, as on an ATM or a chip and PIN reader.
- Pointing devices control a pointer on screen: a mouse, a touchpad on a laptop, a trackerball, which stays still and suits people with limited movement.
- A remote control operates devices from a distance using infra-red signals. A joystick or driving wheel is used in games and simulators.
- A touch screen lets the user select by touching the display. It is quick and needs no other device, but the screen gets dirty and options are limited.
- A scanner turns paper documents and photographs into digital images. A digital camera captures images, and a microphone captures sound.
- Sensors input physical measurements such as temperature, light, pressure and moisture, automatically and continuously.
- A light pen is pointed at a screen to select or draw.
Worked example
A museum wants visitors to find information at an unattended kiosk. Which input device is most suitable?
- Visitors need something obvious that requires no training: pointing at what they want.
- A touch screen needs no separate keyboard or mouse that could be damaged or stolen.
- So a touch screen is the best choice.
Tips and tricks
- For "advantages and disadvantages of an input device", compare it with a likely alternative: a touch screen with a mouse, a keyboard with voice input.
- A sensor is an input device. It sends readings to a computer without anyone having to type them in.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Input devices: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
Which device is used to enter numbers at an ATM?
Only numbers are needed, such as a PIN and an amount.
Which input device would be used to capture a printed photograph?
It converts the picture on paper into a digital image.
Which input device measures temperature automatically?
It takes readings without anyone typing them in.
Which is a disadvantage of a touch screen?
Fingers leave marks, and screens can be scratched.
Which device is used to control a pointer on a laptop without a mouse?
It is built in below the keyboard.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
2 questions, 4 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Input devices
Cambridge IGCSE Information & Communication Technology 0417 · 4 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
Give two advantages of using a touch screen at a self-service checkout.[2]
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It is easy to use with no training. No separate keyboard or mouse is needed, so there is less to break. (Also: selecting is fast.)
Explain why a trackerball may be more suitable than a mouse for some users.[2]
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It stays in one place, so it needs less desk space and less arm movement. That makes it easier for people with limited hand or arm movement.
Answers: Input devices
- 1. It is easy to use with no training. No separate keyboard or mouse is needed, so there is less to break. (Also: selecting is fast.)
- 2. It stays in one place, so it needs less desk space and less arm movement. That makes it easier for people with limited hand or arm movement.