Module 4: Software
Week of Mon, Sep 14 · module closes Sun, Sep 20 · 120 points
By the end of this lesson you can:
- →Compare and contrast types of computers and application software.
- →Perform basic proficiency in data analysis using software.
Take Meerk's quiz for Module 4
This module's items
- File Management Assignment50 pts
- Excel Assignment50 pts
- Module 4 Quiz20 pts
Exact due times are in Canvas. Late assignments are not accepted and extensions will not be granted.
Know these cold
- Two kinds of software: system software (the operating system and utilities that run the computer) and application software (the programs you use to get work done).
- The operating system (OS) manages hardware, runs applications, controls the file system, and gives you the user interface. Examples: Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS, Android.
- Application software examples: word processors, spreadsheets, browsers, email, presentation tools, photo editors, games. Productivity suites (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace) bundle them.
- File management: files live in folders (directories) in a tree. The path shows where a file is (Documents/INT1010/hardware.docx). Good names and folders make files findable.
- File extensions tell the type: .docx (Word), .xlsx (Excel), .pptx (PowerPoint), .pdf, .jpg/.png (images), .mp4 (video), .zip (compressed). Canvas needs the actual file, so know your extensions.
- Back up your work: a copy in a second place (cloud drive or USB). One copy is zero copies.
- Spreadsheets (Excel): a grid of rows (numbers) and columns (letters). A cell is named by column then row — C4 is column C, row 4. A range is a block of cells — A1:A10.
- Formulas start with = and do math: =A1+B1, =A1*2. Functions are built-in formulas: =SUM(A1:A10), =AVERAGE(B2:B20), =MAX(...), =MIN(...), =COUNT(...).
- Relative reference (A1) changes when you copy a formula down; absolute reference ($A$1) stays fixed. Sort and filter organize data; charts turn numbers into pictures.
- Software licensing: commercial (you pay), subscription/SaaS (you pay monthly, it runs in the cloud), freeware (free to use), open source (free and the code is public), trial/shareware.
- Module 4 items: File Management Assignment (50), Excel Assignment (50), and Module 4 Quiz (20) — 120 points.
Meerk's quiz — open the Module 4 gate
10 questions, no time limit. 85% on your first attempt in a 24-hour window opens the gate. Retakes inside the window are practice — they help you learn, they don't count. Work alone; the point is to know it, not to have seen it.
Stuck?
Raise your hand. Mr. James gets a message right away and can help you remotely. Nothing else is stored — just your last name, grade, and where you're stuck.
Dinner Table Question
Ask at home: How do you organize your files? Could someone else find them?
En español: ¿Cómo organizas tus archivos? ¿Podría otra persona encontrarlos?