The Architecture of Computing: Switches and Bits

The students transitioned from history to hardware, learning how computers use millions of tiny electronic switches to process information. They mastered the concept that:

Off represents 0

On represents 1

Understanding this ‘binary’ system is essential for grasping how a machine works. To organise this data, students explored binary units in order of size. While the technical world sometimes uses ‘kibibytes’, we focused on the standard Kilobyte (KB), Megabyte (MB) and Gigabyte (GB) to ensure students have a practical understanding of the storage capacities they encounter in daily life.

Ms Platten

Head of Computer Science