DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LAFIA

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE

(CSC 111)

LABORATORY MANUAL

2015/2016 ACADEMIC SESSION

1
WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION
1.0 Objectives

 Students are expected to know the do’s and don’ts of using the lab
 Students are expected to know what a computer is

The Laboratory has been the birth place for scientific innovation throughout History and the
twenty first century cannot be left out. The development in Science has given rise to different
laboratories such as Biology Laboratory, Physics Laboratory and Chemistry Laboratory, the 3
Science Fields which has always been the basis for creating science Laboratory.

With the evolvement in the field of Computing, necessity has given birth to a new Laboratory,
which is the Computing Laboratory it has different aspects such as the Computer Science
Laboratory, Mathematical Laboratory, and Geo informatics among many others.

A laboratory can be defined as a place where scientific research and testing is carried out, a
room for teaching Science or a place with appropriate equipment for teaching Science or doing
scientific work. The Vision of the Federal University Lafia can only be achieved in the
Laboratory! Innovation has to be imbibed for creativity towards excellence. I beseech you
therefore to see the laboratory course as a very important part of your studies in this
Institution.

The Laboratory manual on the Introduction to Computer Science is expected to be a guide for
the first year study, the content are simple and explanatory enough for a first year student.

We hope you find it interesting enough for you to desire to know more!

Rules and Regulations of using the Computer Science Laboratory

 The computers are for use by all students. Do not over burden the machines by storing
files or downloading programs on local hard drives, this includes your desktop.

 Mobile phones and electronic devices should be in silent mode during practical sessions

 It is your responsibility to read and abide by the following guidelines

 Do not eat or drink in the laboratory

 Do not place Items (bags, mobile phones etc. ) on the keyboard

 Do not sit on the CPU/Desktop

2
  You may use the printers and plotter only for class related purposes. Your printer use
will be monitored

 Do not play/listen to Music or Watch Videos during practical sessions

 Do not make or receive phone calls in the laboratory

 Do not connect any external device to the computer unless you are told to do so

 Files stored on local hard drives may be deleted without warning. This includes the
“Desktop” of the machine, do NOT delete any file until you are asked to do so

 DO NOT alter any program files.

1.1 Introduction to Computer Systems

A “system” comprises a set of components that work together to perform a task. A “computer
system” comprises a processor, memory, external storage systems, interface devices and
software to provide a tool that humans can use to solve problems. A computer system can also
be defined as a device that takes in data input, manipulates it and returns the manipulated
input (processed input) as output. Inputs are called data and can be of any types: numbers,
text, sound, images etc. Outputs are called information and can be of any types: numbers, text,
sound, images etc. the processing is performed by the central processing unit (CPU). Computers
perform the processing according to a set of instructions, or programs.

The minimum requirements for a computer system generally include a keyboard, a central unit
(comprising a CPU and memory) and a monitor. The data is usually entered via the keyboard
and the information is usually presented through a monitor screen.

1.2 Applications of Computer Systems

Nowadays with fast growing technology, Computers have become indispensable in almost all
activities. They offer a wide range of functions and services. Some of these functions include the
following:

 Education
 Medicine
 Business
 Banking

3
  Government
 Defense
 Communication

1.3 Generations of Computer

The First Generation (1946-1958)

This generation is often described as starting with the delivery of the first commercial computer
to a business client. This happened in 1951 with the delivery of the UNIVAC to the US Bureau of
the Census. This generation lasted until about the end of the 1950’s. The main feature of the
first generation of computers was that vacuum tubes were used as internal computer
components. They were very large computers and very expensive, generate a lot of heat and
consume a lot of power.

The Second Generation (1959-1964)

In the mid-1950’s Bell Labs developed the transistor. Transistors were capable of performing
many of the same tasks as vacuum tubes but were only a fraction of the size. The first
transistors-based computer was produced in 1959. Transistors were not only smaller, enabling
computer size to be reduced, but they were faster, more reliable and consumed less electricity

The Third Generation (1965-1970)

In 1965, the first integrated circuit (IC) was developed in which complete circuits of hundreds of
components were able to be placed on a single silicon chip 2 or 3mm square. Computers using
IC’s soon replaced transistor based machines. The size of computers also reduced during this
period. Computer software became much more powerful and flexible and for the first time,
more than one program could share the computer resources at the same time (multi-tasking).

The Fourth Generation (1971-present)

In 1970, large-scale integration was achieved where the equivalent of thousands of integrated
circuits were crammed onto a single silicon chip. This development again increased computer
performance whilst reducing computer size and cost. Around this time, the first complete
general-purpose microprocessor became available on a single chip.

4
The Fifth Generation (The Future)

This generation of computers is referred to as future computers. The main requirements of the
5G machines were that they incorporate the features of Artificial Intelligence, Expert Systems
and Natural Language. The goal is to produce machines that are capable of performing tasks in
similar ways to humans, are capable of learning and are capable of interacting with humans in
natural language, capable of recognizing voices and have human senses.

1.4 Week 1 Exercise

1. Computing laboratory has different aspects what are they?
2. What do you understand by the term laboratory?
3. Distinguish between “System” and “computer system”.
4. What are the minimum requirements for a computer system?
5. Briefly explain any five applicants of computer system.
6. What are the technologies behind each of the generation of computer?

5
WEEK 2: COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
2.0 Objectives

 Students are expected to know the difference between a hardware and software
 Students should be able to identify the peripherals of a computer and know their
functions.

2.1 Hardware Components

The hardware components of a computer system includes: monitor, keyboard, mouse,
system unit and other smaller components like RAM, CMOS in the system unit. These are
usually referred to as the peripherals or components of the computer that are physically
seen and touch.

2.2 Software Components

The software components of a computer system are the operating system and other
applications that are installed on the computer system to make the computer function.
These includes: the operating system, application packages like Microsoft office suite,
Adobe Acrobat reader, Macromedia Dreamweaver etc. and utility applications like antivirus
and firewalls. The software components are required to drive the hardware else, the
hardware remains dormant. The software is the aspect of the computer that is not
physically seen or touched.

2.3 Identifying Peripherals of a Computer

The Peripheralsof a computer are categorized into input, storage, processing, control and
output devices based on their purpose. Input devices are used to input data into the
computer e.g. keyboard, scanner, microphone. Storage devices are used to store computer
data either temporarily or permanently e.g. hard disk, Random Access Memory. Processing
unit is used to manipulate data feed into the computer e.g. Central Processing Unit (CPU).
Control devices are used to direct the flow of execution of instructions in the computer e.g.
the Logic Unit of the Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU). Output devices are devices that
display data to the user.

 Central Processing Unit (CPU): It is the device responsible for the processing of data and
instructions carried out by the computer.

6
 Fig 2.0: Intel Xeon CPU

 Motherboard: it is the board used to interconnect every component in the system unit.
It also holds the ports that connect the other peripherals which are not a single unit
with the system unit.

Fig 2.1:
Schematics
of a Motherboard

 Visual Display Unit (VDU) or Monitor: This is an output device that is used to display
input or processed data. It displays visuals of what the user or the computer is doing per
time.

7
 Fig 2.2: a flat screen monitor

 Keyboard: it is an input device used to key-in data by users into the computer for
storage or manipulating purposes or as instructions to the computer.

Fig 2.3: a standard keyboard

8
 Mouse: it is an input device that is used to pass instructions and commands to the
computer. It has two buttons called the left and right click and a roller. The left click
button is used to select text, files, folders and icons and when clicked twice in quick
succession on an object, it gives the computer instructions to open the object. The right
click button is used to access more options of commands that can be carried out on
particular objects.

Fig 2.4: a Mouse

 Random Access Memory (RAM): It is a storage device that is used to temporarily store
data. It is referred to as volatile memory because data stored in it are lost when there is
a sudden loss of power and the computer shuts down. The size of a RAM influences the
speed of processing of data i.e. the larger the capacity of the RAM the faster the
computer processes data.

9
 Fig 2.5: RAM chips

 Read Only Memory(ROM): This is a storage device that is used to keep data used by the
computer for startup and other hardware specific information. It is non-volatile because
when power is lost, the data in it are not lost.

Fig 2.6: ROM chip

 Hard disk (HDD): it is a storage device that is used to store the Operating System (OS)
and user data permanently. The larger the capacity of the HDD, the more data it is able
to store.

10
 Fig 2.7: a 1.0 terabyte (TB) Hard disk
 Power pack: this is used to regulate input power into the computer so as not to cause
damage to the components of the system unit.

Fig 2.8: detached power pack

 Disk drive/ CD ROM: it is used to read and write data to a Compact Disk (CD). It could be
in any of the following format; CD, Digital Video Disk (DVD) and Blue Ray.

Fig 2.9: detached Disk drive

 Power cable: it connects the computer to power source.

11
 Fig 2.10: power cable

2.4 Week 2 Exercise

1. List five computer Hardware components of the computer
2. List five computer software programs and their uses in the computer

12
WEEK 3: USING A COMPUTER
3.0 Objectives

 Students are expected to know how to interconnect the peripherals and hardware
components of the computer
 Students are expected to know how to start up a Computer
 They are expected to know the components needed to have a working computer
 They are expected to distinguish between the input and output devices
 Students should be able to know how to handle the mouse

3.1 Connecting a Computer

To make a computer ready for use, the following components are needed; the system unit,
Monitor or Visual Display Unit (VDU), keyboard, mouse, power cable. The below steps
should be taken to assemble the components:
 Connect the mouse to the system unit (the mouse can either be connected using a
PS/2 port or USB port or wireless). When using PS/2, connect the mouse to the PS/2
port behind the system unit. The port and the mouse connector are usually
coloured purple for easy identification. When using USB, connect the USB end
connector of the mouse to any of the USB ports available on the system unit.

 Connect the keyboard to the system unit which like the mouse, can be done using a
PS/2 port, USB and wireless. When using PS/2, connect the keyboard to the PS/2
port behind the system unit. The port and the keyboard connector are usually
coloured green for easy identification. When using USB, connect the USB end
connector of the keyboard to any of the USB ports available on the system unit.

 Connect the VDU to the system unit using the DB cable provided behind the system
unit. The end of the DB cable to be connected to the system unit have pins which
vary in number from cable to cable (usually 9, 16 and 25) while the DB port on the
system unit has holes that the pins insert into. Connect the DB cable and screw the
cable tightly to the system unit.

 Connect the power cable of the system unit to the power pack behind the system
unit.

13
 After the above connections are made, the system is ready to be connected to a power
source either directly to the wall jack or to an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) and to be
started.

3.2 Booting up a computer system

 Connect the system unit to power source
 Press the power button
 Watch the boot process and follow the instructions displayed
 The boot process continues and takes you to the home screen.
 If there are more than one user accounts, select the user account you want to logon to.
 If you are prompted to provide a password, type in the password and press ENTER
 This takes you to the desktop of the computer

3.3 The keyboard and mouse

Fig 2.0 the keyboard

14
In order to use your computer effectively, you must interact with it using both the mouse and
the keyboard. The above image of a keyboard may closely resemble (if it is not identical to) the
keyboard in front of you; learning the function of just a few keys will help you to interact better
with your computer and individual programs. The following is a list of commonly used keys that
have special functions (keep in mind that key functions can change depending on which
program you are using):

1. Backspace: This key deletes letters backward.

2. Delete: This key deletes letters forward.

3. Shift: This key, when pressed WITH another key, will perform a secondary function.
4. Spacebar: This key enters a space between words or letters.

5. Tab: This key will indent what you type, or move the text to the right. The default indent
distance is usually ½ inch.

6. Caps Lock: Pressing this key will make every letter you type capitalized.

7. Control (Ctrl): This key, when pressed WITH another key, performs a shortcut.

8. Enter: This key either gives you a new line, or executes a command (pressed in a word
processing program, it begins a new line).

9. Number Keypad: These are exactly the same as the numbers at the top of the keyboard;
some people just find them easier to use in this position.

10. Arrow Keys: Like the mouse, these keys are used to navigate through a document or
page.

The mouse is your most useful tool when working with Windows! It allows you to quickly select
and run programs by simply clicking a button.

15
 Fig 2.1 the mouse

You can use your mouse in a number of different ways in Windows:

1.Pointing Move your mouse so that the cursor points to an item on the screen.

2. Clicking Hold the mouse still, and click the left mouse button once. Clicking usually selects an
object (highlighting it) or opens a menu or window.

3. Double-clicking Hold the mouse still and click the left mouse button twice in quick
succession. Double-clicking is usually used to open a program or file, or to expand a folder so
that you can see its contents.

4. Right-clicking Hold the mouse still, and click the right mouse button once. Right clicking
usually opens a context-sensitive menu that provides you with a set of relevant options.

5. Dragging Position your mouse on an object, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the
object before releasing the button.

3.4 How to create a User Account

 Click on Start
 Click on Control Panel
 Click on User Account
 Click on Add or Remove User Account
 Click Create a new account
 Type the account name in the text box provided

16
  Specify the account type e.g. Administrator, Guest or Standard
 Click on Create account
 Click the new account created
 Click on create password
 Type the password for the account
 Type the same password in the Confirm password text box provided
 Click create password

3.5 How to hibernate, lock and shut down computer system

Hibernate keeps every window that is open before hibernation open. Every system
resources being used are retrieved while in this state and released on next start up. To
hibernate a computer, follow the steps below;

 Click on the Start menu

 Click the drop down arrow of the shutdown button
 In the displayed list click on hibernate.

Locking a computer simply means hiding your open windows and desktop while displaying a
login window until the right password for the user account that is running is entered. To
lock a computer, follow the steps below;

 Click on the start menu

 Click the drop down arrow of the shutdown button
 In the displayed list click on lock.

Shutting down is to turn off the computer i.e. shutting every system resource from running.

To shut down follow the below steps:

 Click on the start menu

 Click the shutdown button
 You can also press and hold the power button to shut down.

3.6 Week 3 Exercise

1. Point to an item and click on it once. Notice how it becomes highlighted.
2. Drag one of your icons to a different point on the screen.

17
3. Point the mouse to a blank area of the desktop, right-click to open a pop-up menu, and
use your mouse to select the option for arranging icons by name.
4. Right-click on the My Computer icon to view its pop-up menu. Click an empty area on
the screen or else press [ESC] on the keyboard to close the menu.
5. Double-click on the My Computer icon to open its window. Then click the X in the top
right corner to close it again.
6. Create two user accounts one named your first name and the other your last name.
7. Log in using the first name account and then lock it and switch to the last name account.

18
WEEK 4: INTRODUCTION TO THE WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM

4.0 Objectives
Students are expected to know
 What an operating system is
 The functions of operating system
 The types of operating system
 How to do simple Windows settings
 How to start and close an application
 How to create shortcuts on the desktop
 How to create files and folders
 How to rename files and folders

What is an Operating System?

The Operating System is the most important program that runs on a computer, which manages
and controls a computer’s activities. Without an operating system, computer hardware and
application software would be useless. An operating system is a computer program that
manages the resources of a computer and allows other programs to run as well. The most
popular is the windows operating system; others are Mac OS, and Linux.

4.1 Functions of Operating systems

The operating system performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory,
prioritizing system requests, controlling input and output devices, facilitating networking and
managing files. It may also provide a graphical user interface for higher level functions. Basic
functions performed by operating systems are:

4.1.1 Booting the Computer

The process of starting or restarting the computer is known as booting. A cold boot occurs
when you turn on a computer that has been turned off completely. A warm boot is the process
of using the operating system to restart the computer.

4.1.2 System Resources Management

An Operating System manages the entire computer resources. Resources include the CPU and
the main memory. Programs and input methods are constantly competing for the attention of
the CPU and demand memory, storage and input/output bandwidth. The operating system will

19
identify at which time the CPU will perform which operation; which portion of memory is used
by which programs, which Input and Output Devices are used by which programs.

4.1.3 Process Management

The operating system manages many kinds of activities ranging from user programs to system
programs to system programs. A process is an instance of a program in execution. Many
process can be running the same program. The operating system is responsible for the creation
and deletion of user and system processes, the suspension and resumption of processes.

4.1.4 File Management

The operating system also handles the organization and tracking of files and directories
(folders) saved or retrieved from a computer disk. Operating systems allow the creation and
deletion of files, creation and deletion of directories.

4.1.5 Managing Peripheral Devices

The operating system performs basic computer task, such as managing the various peripheral
devices such as the mouse, keyboard and printers. For example, most operating systems now
are plug and play which means a device such as a printer will automatically be detected and
configured without any user intervention.

4.1.6 The User Interface

A user interacts with software through a user interface. The two main types of user interfaces
are: command line and graphical user interface (GUI). With a command line interface, the user
interacts with the operating system by typing commands to perform specific task. An example
of a command line interface is DOS (Disk Operating System). With a graphical user interface, the
user interacts with the operating system by using a mouse to access windows, icons and menus.
An example of a graphical user interface is Windows Vista or Windows 7.

20
4.1.7 Protection System
If a computer system has multiple users and allows the concurrent execution of multiple
processes, then the various processes must be protected from one another’s activities.
Protection refers to a mechanism for controlling the access of programs, processes, or users to
the resources defined by the operating system.

4.2 Types of Operating systems

Operating systems are generally categorized based on the types of computers they control and
the sort of applications they support. The categories are:
4.2.1 Real-time Operating Systems
These are Operating Systems that aim at executing real-time applications. Real-time
applications require that a particular operation executes in precisely the same amount of time,
every time it occurs. Real-time Operating Systems are used to control machinery, scientific
instruments and industrial systems. Real-time Operating Systems typically have very little user-
interface capability, and no end-user utilities.

4.2.2 Single-user, single task Operating Systems

These Operating Systems are designed to manage the computer so that it can accept only one
user at a time and allow the users to run only one program at a time. The palm OS for Palm
handheld computers is a good example of such Operating Systems.

4.2.3 Single-user, multi-taskingOperating Systems

These Operating Systems allow a user to execute multiple task at the same time. Most desktop
and laptop computers use the types of Operating Systems. Microsoft’s Windows OS and Apple’s
MacOS platforms are both examples of Operating Systems that will let a single user have
several programs in operation at the same time.

21
4.2.4 Multi-user Operating Systems
These Operating Systems allow multiple users to access a computer system concurrently. The
Operating Systems must make sure that each of the programs they are using has sufficient and
separate resources so that a problem with one user doesn’t affect the entire community of
users. Mainframe Operating Systems are an example of multi-user Operating Systems.

4.2.5 Distributed Operating Systems

These Operating Systems manage a group of independent computers and make them appear as
a single computer system. Here, data are stored and processed on multiple computers placed in
different locations and connected with each other.

4.3 Windows Settings

4.3.1 Creating and renaming of files and folders:

To create a new folder, follow the following steps;
 Right click an empty area and click new
 In the sub-list that appears click folder
 Type the folder name and press ENTER
To rename a file or folder,
 Select the file or folder
 Right click on the folder
 Click rename
 Type the new name and press ENTER
4.3.2 Creating Shortcuts:
This can be done by right clicking on the desired application/document and selecting the
“send to” option then scrolling down to the “Desktop(create shortcut)” sub menu, this
keeps the shortcut on the desktop.

22
4.3.3 Setting the system clock and date
 Click on the Start menu
 Click on Control Panel
 Click on Date and Time
 Click on Change Date and Time
 Set the date and time and click ok
 In the next window click apply and then OK

Alternatively,

 Click on the date and time displayed on the task bar

 On the window displayed, click change date and time settings
 Click change date and time
 On the window displayed set the time and date and click ok
 In the next window, click apply and then Ok

4.3.4 Starting an application

 To start up any application, the system have to be switched ON
 Click on start on the task bar
 Point to All Programs
 Scroll to the program in the program list that appears
 Click the folder of the program you intend to open
 Click the program in the list and it will open the interface of the application

A shortcut to doing this is by double clicking the icon of the application on the desktop if
available.

4.4 Week4PracticeExercice
1. Open the my computer window by double-clicking on its icon
2. Move the computer window to a new position on the screen by dragging its title bar.
3. Click on the view menu to see the available options
4. Change your view options to menu and change it back to icons
5. Practice maximizing, restoring and closing your Computer window
6. Hibernate, Lock, restart and shut down the computer system

23
7. Click on the start button
8. Select All Programs.
9. Navigate your way to the Microsoft Word program
10. Open Microsoft Word
11. Close Microsoft Word
12. Open Windows Explorer and identify your C: drive.
13. Click on the time and date icon on the task bar, click on it to set the date and time on
the computer.

24
WEEK 5: INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT WORD

5.1 Introducing Word

When you need to write any text-based document, look no further than Word.Word is a word
processor that supports many features, including the following:

 Automatic corrections for common mistakes as you type using specialautomatic-

correcting tools that watch the way you work and adapt toyour needs
 Templates and styles that make quick work of your document’s formatting
 Advanced page-layout and formatting capabilities
 Numbering, bulleting, bordering, and shading tools
 Integrated grammar and spelling tools to help ensure your document’saccuracy
 Newsletter-style multiple columns, headers, footers, and endnotes in
yourpublications
 Graphical tools that enable you to emphasize headers, draw lines and shapes around
your text, and work with imported art files in your documents.

5.2 Starting Word

There are basically two (2) ways to start a Microsoft Office program.
1. By Double-Clicking on a Microsoft Office program shortcut icon on the
desktop.
OR

2. By selecting the Microsoft Office program through the Start menu.

Figure 5. 1: Start Button

25
 5.3 Microsoft Word Environment
When Microsoft Word is opened and ready for use, the environment looks like the
context of figure 4.2.

Microsoft Office Button Quick Access Toolbar Title Bar

Cursor
Vertical Scroll Bar

Text area
View Choices
Status Bar

Figure 5. 2: Microsoft Word Environment

5.3.1 The Microsoft Office Button

In the upper-left corner of the Word window is the Microsoft Office button. When you click the
button, a menu appears. You can use the menu to create a new file, open an existing file and
perform many other task.

5.3.2 The Quick Access Toolbar

To the right of the Microsoft Office button is the Quick Access toolbar. This provides you with
access to commands you frequently use. By default Save, Undo and Redo appear on the Quick

26
Access toolbar. You can use Save to save your file, Undo to rollback an action you have taken
and Redo to reapply and action you have rolled back.

5.3.3 The Title Bar

Next to the Quick Access toolbar is the Title bar. The Title bar displays the title of the document
on which you are currently working.

5.3.4 The Ribbon

The Ribbon is located near the top of the screen, below the Quick Access toolbar. At the top of
the Ribbon are several tabs; clicking a tab displays several related command groups. Within
each group are related command buttons. The Ribbon is used to issue commands.

5.3.5 The Status Bar

The Status bar appears at the very bottom of your window. It displays document information
such as cell mode, office theme name and current display zoom percentage. Also, at the right-
hand side of the status bar are some Office programs such as view shortcut buttons, Zoom
slider and fit to Window button.

5.4 Create a New Document

5.4.1 Request a New Document

Click the Office button and select New. You can also use Word’s previous menu structure by
pressing Alt+F (simulating the File menu) followed by N to select the new option. The New
Document window appears.

5.4.2 Determine Your New Document

Type the New Document window enables you to create a blank document by clicking the Blank
Document option. Several other options appear, and most of them are related to templates you
can use to create highly specific kinds of documents.

5.4.3 Scroll to See Options

Scroll down the New Document window to see additional templates as well as more online
templates. Most of the time you’ll want to create a blank document instead of going to the
Office website to peruse additional material.

27
5.5.4 Select Blank Document

Although the Blank Document option toward the top of the New Document window might
seem fairly insignificant given its appearance amid all the other template-related options in the
window, most users select the Blank Document option when creating a new document.

5.5 Open an Existing Document

5.5.1 Request a Document

Click the Office button and select Open. You can also follow previous Wordversions’ menu
command structure and select File, Open to display the Opendialog box.

5.5.2 Navigate to the Document’s Location

The document you want to open might not appear at the default locationshown in the Open
dialog box, so navigate to the folder in which the documentyou’re looking for resides using the
Windows navigation links.
(You can open documents from your computer’s disk or from elsewhere in the file system.If
you want to open a document located on the Web, preface the filename with http:// or ftp: //
to open document files from those sources).

5.5.3 Open the File

When you locate the folder that holds the document file, select the file youwant to open. Then
click the Open button to open the selected file in Word’sediting workspace.

5.6 Formatting Text

5.6.1 Styles
A style is a format enhancing tool that includes font typefaces, font size, effects (bold, italics,
underline etc.) colours and more.

5.6.2 Change Font Typeface and Size

To change the font of the phrase “FULAFIA” in the text area of your word document, take the
following steps:
1. Type the phrase “FULAFIA”.
2. Select FULAFIA.
3. Click on the Home tab.
4. Click the down arrow next to the Font field. A menu of fonts will appear.

28
5. Move the cursor over the list of fonts.
6. Click the font name to select the font you want.

To change the font size:

 Click the arrow next to the font size option and choose the appropriate size, or
 Click the increase or decrease font size buttons.

1 2

5 6

Figure 5. 3: Change Font Typeface and Size

5.6.3 Change Font Typeface and Size

Font styles are predefined formatting options that are used to emphasize text. They include:
“Bold”, “Italic” and “Underline”. To add these to text, select the text and click the Font Styles
included on the Font group of the Ribbon.

29
5.6.4 Change Text Colour

To change the text colour as follows:

 Select the text and click the Font Colourbutton included on the Font Group of the
Ribbon.
 Select the colour by the down arrow next to the Font Colour button.

5.6.3 Copying Formatting

 Select the text with the formatting you want to copy.

 Copy the format of the text selected by clicking on the Format Painter option at the
Home tab.
 Apply the copied format by selecting the text and clicking on it.

5.6.3 Clear Formatting

 Select the text you wish to clear the formatting.

 Click the Styles dialogue box on the Styles group on the Home tab.
 Click Clear All.

5.7 Week 5 Exercise

1. Open a new Word document.
2. Type your Name and your matric number.
3. Change the colour of your name to Blue and the colour of your matric number to
red.
4. Change the font of your name to “Arial” and the font of your matric number to
“century”.
5. Insert a table to the document.
6. Change the name of the document.
7. Save the document on the desktop.

30
WEEK 6: INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT EXCEL
6.1 Introducing Excel
Excel’s primary goal is to help you organize and manage financial information such as income
statements, balance sheets, and forecasts. Typically such data is organized into a worksheet,
sometimes called a spreadsheet. Excel is an electronic spreadsheet program that supports
many features, including the following:

 Automatic cell formatting; the Live Preview feature makes formatting even quicker
than ever before
 Automatic worksheet computations that enable you to generate a worksheet that
automatically calculates when you make a change to a portion of the worksheet
 Built-in functions, such as financial formulas, that automate common tasks
 Automatic row and column completion of value ranges, with automatic completion
of ranges of data
 Formatting tools that let you turn worksheets into professionally produced reports
 Powerful data sorting, searching, filtering, and analysing tools that enable you to
turn data into an organized collection of meaningful information
 Powerful charts and graphs that can analyse your numbers and turn them into
simple trends.

6.2 Open a New Workbook

6.2.1 Request a New Workbook

When you first start Microsoft Excel, Excel displays a blank workbook with three empty
worksheets named Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3. If you have been working in Excel and want to
begin with a new workbook, click your Office button and select New. Excel displays the New
Workbook dialog box.

6.2.2 Open a Blank Workbook

Click the Blank Workbook button to open a new, empty workbook with three worksheets
inside.

All the other options on the New Workbook dialog box relate to available templates. For
example, you can create a sales report worksheet based on the pre supplied Sales Report
template that you’ll find by selecting from the list of online templates available in the New

31
Workbook dialog box. The categories running down the left side of the New Workbook dialog
box are additional templates you can use.

Obviously, a template saves you lots of formatting time, but unless your application matches
that of one of the templates, you’ll probably find it easier to create a new worksheet from
scratch than to change one that Excel creates from a template.

6.2.3 Compose Your Workbook

Create your workbook in the blank work area of cells that Excel gives you. You’ll enter text,
numbers, and formulas, depending on the needs of your workbook. You can print your
workbook (see Print a Worksheet) at any time.

6.2.4 Save the Workbook

After creating your workbook, click the Quick Access toolbar’s save button and type the name
of your workbook. Excel uses the filename extension .xlsx for your workbook. You can select
another file format, such as Excel97-2003 Workbook; doing so saves the workbook with the
older Excel extension of .xls. Other file formats are also available (see About Worksheets and
Workbooks).

6.3 Open an Existing Worksheet

6.3.1 Request a Worksheet File

Click your Office button to display the Office dialog box. Select Open to select from a list of
worksheets. Excel displays the Open dialog box.

6.3.2 Navigate to Your Worksheet’s Location

The worksheet that you want to open might not appear at the default location shown in the
Open dialog box, so navigate to the folder in which the workbook you’re looking for resides. If
you’re using Windows Vista, you can click the bread crumbs along the top of the Open dialog
box, or if you’re using an earlier Windows version use the Look In drop-down list and traverse
to your file.

6.3.3 Locate the File You Want

When you locate the folder that holds the workbook file, select the file you want to open. Then
click the Open button to open the selected file in Excel’s editing workspace. The All Microsoft

32
 Office Excel Files button enables you to select from only Excel files, but when you click this
button, a list of other file formats appear that you can select from.

6.3.4 Edit the Worksheet

After the file opens in the Excel workspace, you can edit the file. Navigate to where you want to
make edits (see Edit Cell Data), or move to the end of the document and add to it (see Enter
Data into a Worksheet).

6.3.5 Save the Worksheet

After you finish with the worksheet, click the Quick Access toolbar’s save button to save the
worksheet. You can also press Ctrl+S to save your worksheet. If you want to save changes under
a different filename from the one you opened, click your Office button, select Save As, and
enter a new filename before clicking the Save button.

6.3 Microsoft Excel Environment

Name Box Formular Bar
Columns

Cel
l

Row

Sheet Tab

Table 6. 1: Microsoft Excel Environment

33
The Microsoft Excel Window, Figure 5.1 includes the following components:

1. Rows: Rows are referenced by the numbers.

2. Columns: Columns are referenced by the alphabets.
3. Cell: A cell is an intersection of a row and a column. Cells can contain various types of data.
4. Name box: A name box displays the name of a selected cell and a range of cells.
5. Formula bar: A formula bar contains tools for creating and editing formulas.
6. Sheet Tab: A sheet tab helps to navigate between worksheets in a workbook.

6.4 working with Data in a worksheet

Excel allows you to move, copy and paste cells and cell content(s) through cutting and pasting
and copying and pasting.

6.4.1 Selecting Data in Cells

 Click the beginning cell
 Click and drag the cursor to select many cells in range.

6.4.2 Copy and Paste Data

 Select the cell(s) that you wish to copy.
 On the Clipboard group of the Home tab, click Copy.
 Select the cell(s) where you would like to copy the data.
 On the Clipboard group of the Home tab, click Paste.

6.4.3 Undo and Redo

 On the Quick Access toolbar.
 Click Undo or Redo.

6.4.4 Auto Fill

The Auto Fill feature fills cell data or series of data in a worksheet into a selected range of cells.
If you want the same data copied into the other cell, you only need to complete one cell.

For example, days of the week:

 Click the Auto Fill Handle

 Drag the Fill Handle to complete the cells.

34
 Table 6. 2: Auto Fill

6.5 Working with Excel Functions

The function library is a large group of functions on the formula tab of the ribbon. Some
common functions in Excel include:

 Sum: Adds all cells in the argument.

 Average: Calculates the average of the cells in the argument.
 Min: Finds the minimum value.
 Max: Finds the maximum value.
 Count: Finds the number of cells that contain a numerical value within a range of the
argument.

6.5.1 Worked Examples

6.5.1.1 Calculate Sum
Procedure:
1. Open Microsoft Excel.
2. Type 12 in cell B1.
3. Press Enter.
4. Type 24 in cell B2.
5. Press Enter.
6. Type 24 in cell B3.
7. Press Enter.
8. Type =SUM(B1:B3) in cell A4.
9. Press Enter. The sum of cells B1 to B3, which is 63 appears.
6.5.1.2 Calculate an Average
Procedure:
1. Move to cell A6
35
 2. Type Average. Press the right arrow key to move to cell B6.
3. Type =AVERAGE(B1:B3).
4. Press Enter. The average of cells B1 to B3, Which is 21 appears.
6.5.1.3 Calculate an Average
Procedure:
1. Move to cell A7.
2. Type Min.
3. Press the right arrow key to move to cell B7.
4. Type =MIN(B1:B3).
5. Press Enter. The lowest number in the series, which is 12 appears.
6.5.1.4 Find the Highest Number
Procedure:
1. Move to cell A8.
2. Type Max.
3. Press the right arrow key to move to cell B8.
4. Type =MAX(B1:B3).
5. Press Enter. The lowest number in the series, which is 27 appears.
6.5.1.5 Count the Numbers in a Series of Numbers
Procedure:
1. Move to cell A9.
2. Type Count.
3. Press the right arrow key to move to cell B9.
4. Choose the Home tab.
5. Click the down arrow next to the AutoSum button.
6. Click Count Numbers. Excel places the count function in cell C9 and takes a
guess at which cells you want to count. The guess is incorrect, so you must
select the proper cells.
7. Select B1 and B3.
8. Press Enter. The number of items in the series, which is 3 appears.

36
6.6 Week 6 Exercise

A B C D E
1 3 67 5 22 8
2 1 6 7 8 7
3 2 13 9 10 34
4 4 70 12 17 87

Use the table above to answer the following questions:

I. Write the formula that will divide the values in cell D2 by A3.
II. Write the formula that will add up the values in row 2.
III. Write the formula that will multiply the values in cell A1 by E8.
IV. Write the formula that will calculate the average for the cells in column B.

37
WEEK 7: INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT POWERPOINT
7.1 Introducing PowerPoint
Have you ever presented a talk and longed for a better approach to messy overhead slides?
Have you seen the pros wow their audiences with eye-catching, professional computerized
presentations? With PowerPoint 2007, there is simply no reason why you shouldn’t be wowing
your audiences as well. Professional presentations are now within your reach.

PowerPoint supports many features, including the following:

 The use of extensive templates and themes to generate great-looking presentations

with little effort
 Sample designs that provide you with fill-in-the-blank presentations
 Screen display modes that imitate how you’ll eventually project your slides on a
larger screen
 Complete colour and font control of your presentation slides
 A collection of art files, icons, and sounds that you can embed to make your
presentations more attention-getting
 Numerous transitions and fades between presentation slides to keep your
audience’s attention
 The capability to save presentations as web pages that you can then present on the
Internet

7.2 Microsoft PowerPoint Environment

Figure 7. 1: Microsoft PowerPoint Environment

38
7.2.1 Normal view

Normal view splits your screen into three major sections the Outline and Slides tabs, the Slide
pane, and the Notes area. The Outline and Slides tabs are on the left side of your window. They
enable you to shift between two different ways of viewing your slides. The Slide tab shows
thumbnails of your slides. The Outline tab shows the text on your sides. The Slide pane is
located in the center of your window. The Slide pane shows a large view of the slide on which
you are currently working. The Notes area appears bellow the slide pane. You can type notes to
yourself on the Notes area.

7.2.2 Slide Sorter View

Slide Sorter View shows thumbnails of all your slides. In Slide Sorter View, you can easily add,
delete or change the order of your slides.

7.2.3 Slide Show

Use the slide show view when you want to view your slides, as they will look in your final
presentation. When in Slide Show view:

 Esc: Returns you to the view you were using previously.

 Left-clicking: Moves you to the next slide or animation effect.
 Right-clicking: Opens a pop-up menu. You can use this menu to navigate the
slides, add speaker notes, select s pointer, and mark your presentation.

7.3 Open an Existing Presentation

7.3.1 Request a Presentation

Select Open from the Office Windows menu. PowerPoint displays the Opendialog box, from
which you can open an existing presentation. Locate theplace where the presentation resides
and click to select a presentation. ClickOpento load the presentation into PowerPoint. You can
also select an existingpresentation if its name appears in the right pane labelled Recent
Documents.

7.3.2 Edit or Run the Newly Opened Presentation

After PowerPoint loads the presentation, you are free to run or edit it.

39
7.3.3 Open another Presentation

After you’re inside PowerPoint, if you want to open a second presentation,click your Office
button again to display the Open dialog box and selectanother presentation to open.
PowerPoint enables you to open multiple presentationsat one time, each in its own Windows
window.

7.3.4 Change the Presentation’s View

PowerPoint provides three view buttons to the left of the Zoom slider control.The Normal view
shows one PowerPoint slide at a time in the large, centerediting area. Slide Sorter view shows
multiple thumbnails of your slides on thescreen at one time. The Slide Sorter view is useful for
seeing multiple slides atone time to get an overview of your presentation or perhaps to
rearrange yourpresentation by dragging slides to different locations. The Slide Show
buttonstarts your presentation running.

7.3.5 Close the Presentation

When you finish giving or editing a presentation, close the presentation byclicking your Office
button and selecting Close. This clears your PowerPointediting area. If you made changes that
you haven’t yet saved, PowerPointprompts you to save your changes before closing the current
presentation.

7.4 Give a Presentation

7.4.1 Open Your Presentation

Click your Office button and select Open to display a list of presentations.Select the
presentation you want to give.

7.4.2 Prepare Your Presentation for the Slide Show

After your presentation appears on the screen, click to display the Slide Showribbon and click
the Set Up Slide Show button to open the Set Up Showdialog box.

7.4.3 Specify Slide Show Settings

Many of your Set Up Show dialog box settings are determined when youcreate your
presentation, although you can always change them here at theSet Up Show dialog box. You’ll
be able to select all or just a range of slides(from the From options), as well as determine how
your slide show will display(either in the default full-screen mode or in a smaller window with a
lower resolution).

40
If the Manually option is unchecked, PowerPoint assumes that you originallycreated this
presentation to display automatically, without intervention. Ifyou’re speaking and using the
presentation to support your speech, you probably won’t want the automatic changing of slides
that occurs. Instead, youwill want to move from slide to slide when you’re ready to do so. If
youraudience has questions along the way or if you decide to cover a topic longer than you
originally planned, you need full control over your presentation.So in such a case, ensure that
Manually is checked.

7.4.4 Watch Your Slide Show

To start your slide show, click the Slide Show ribbon’s From Beginningbutton. Excel starts the
slide show by displaying the first slide in yourpresentation.

7.5 Adding Content

7.5.1 Bulleted and Numbered List

To add a list to existing text:

 Select the text you wish to make a list.

 Click the Bulleted or Numbered lists button.

To create a new list:

 Place your cursor where you want the list in the document.
 Click the Bulleted or Numbered lists button.
 Begin typing.

7.5.2 Adding Video

 Click the Movie button on the Insert tab.

 Choose Movie from file or Movie from Clip Organizer.

To edit video options:

 Click the movie icon.

 Click the Format tab.

7.5.2 Adding Audio

 Click the Audio button on the Insert tab.

41
  Choose Sound from file, Sound from Clip Organizer, play CD Audio Track or Recorded
Sound.

To edit audio options:

 Click the audio icon.

 Click the Format tab.

7.6 Week 7 Exercise

1. List 10 tools found on the Drawing tools bar and briefly explain the use of any 5
2. List the steps you will follow to accomplish the following task:
i. Add new slide to a presentation
ii. Add a video to a presentation

42
WEEK 8: THE USE OF INTERNET AND E-MAILS
8.0 Objectives

 The terminology and functionality of internet services

 How to get connected to the internet
 Students are expected to know examples of web browsers and other internet
applications.
 The nature and function of search engines and what they offer i.e. searching for
information on the internet.
 Students are expected to know how to create an e-mail address
 Students are expected to know how to send and read received e-mails

To use the Internet, a user must first know how to connect to it.

8.1 Connecting to a network

To connect to the Internet, follow the below steps;

 First ensure that the wireless adaptor is turned on, if you are connecting to a
wireless network.
 You will need a LAN cable if you are not connecting to a wireless network, so make
sure you have the cable connected to the Ethernet port of your computer.
 Click on the network icon on the task bar
 If wireless networks are available, the list of available networks will be displayed
 Click on the desired network you want to connect to.
 If the network is pass worded, you need to provide the password to be able to
connect successfully
 A notification will be displayed on the task bar showing success or failure of the
connection attempt.
 When Successful, launch a web browser on the computer to access the internet

8.2 Terminology of the internet

The internet is a global network of computers that are interconnected to share resources and
data to the people that use it. The internet hosts several services. The two most well-known are
email and the World Wide Web (WWW)

43
Web Browser: it is an application used to view web pages and it is the interface which a user
interacts with to access the resources and information available on the World Wide Web.
Examples include Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Google Chrome etc.

URLs: Each web page has an address on the internet. This address is called a Uniform Resource
Locator (URL). A hyperlink is a piece of text or a graphic that provides a link to something's URL.
The "something" could be a hearing on the same web page, the next page in a website, a page
in another website, a sound file, or digital video, and so on. An example of a URL
iswww.fulafia.edu.ng

When you click a hyperlink, the link's target is opened in the web browser.

HTTP: Web browsers communicate with web servers primarily using HTTP (hyper-text transfer
protocol) to fetch web pages. HTTP allows web browsers to submit information to web servers
as well as fetch web pages from them. The browser then displays the web page on-screen

Email is a system for transmitting messages between computers.

The world wide web (or WWW) is a global system of linked web pages containing links to
information or content.

Search engines are available to help you find and access all of the information, e.g.
www.google.com, www.wikipedia.com, www.bing.com etc.

Chat applications allow users to exchange messages in real-time e.g. yahoo messenger,
nimbus chats, windows chats etc.

 Conferencing combines several communication methods, including voice, chat, whiteboard

(a shared electronic drawing board), and application sharing, to facilitate online meetings

8.3 Accessing Websites

To access any web page, you will need to know the address of the website or a pointer to
its address. Websites that act as pointers to other websites are known as search engines
and an example of this is Google. To visit any website, follow the below steps;

 Open a web browser by double clicking its icon on the Desktop or by opening it
from All Programs in the Start menu.
 Go to the address bar of the web browser and type the address of the website e.g.
www.fulafia.edu.ng
 After typing the address, press ENTER and the webpage begins to load

44
  When the webpage opens, surf around the page using the mouse

To visit a website you do not know its address, use a search engine to find the address and you
can do so by following the below steps.

 Typewww.google.comon the address bar

 In the Google page that opens, type a word or phrase that indicates what you are
looking for and then click the Google search button
 A list of possible options that contain the word or phrase you searched for are displayed
with headers, extract and the address of the host page

The steps above are also used to search for materials on the Internet by typing a word, phrase
or sentence of the topic or subject.

8.4 Creating E-mail Address

Electronic mail enables you to exchange messages with anyone else on the internet with
a mailbox (a unique electronic address to which email can be sent).
To send someone an e-mail, you usually need to know his or her e-mail address.
Internet e-mail addresses usually comprise the name of the person to whom you are
sending the mail, plus their location, which is given by the domain name.
An example of an internet email address is: abdullahi@gmail.com, abdullahi is the name
of the recipient and @gmail.com is the domain name.
To create an email address;
 Start a web browser on the computer
 Enter the URL of the email service provider of your choice e.g. www.gmail.com
 Navigate to the “create new account” tab to start
 You will be required to provide information like, your first and last names, a
password for the email account, preferred name, date of birth, secret question
and answer etc.
 Follow the instructions, fill the account creation form and submit
 If you choose zainab as your preferred name, your email address will be
zainab@gmail.com

45
8.4.1 Sending and Receiving E-mails

Once an email address has been created, you can now send and receive e-mails from and on
that address. To send an e-mail, follow the steps below;

 Connect to the internet and open a web browser

 Type the web address of your e-mail service provider e.g. www.yahoomail.com on
the address bar of the browser and press Enter
 In the login page that appears, type the username of your e-mail address (e.g. zainab
for zainab@yahoo.com) and password and click Sign In
 Once you are in your mail box, click the Compose button to create a new e-mail to
send
 In the Compose New Message window that appears, type the recipient e-mail
address in the To textbox provided, also type the subject of your mail in the Subject
textbox and then type the message of your mail in the text area provided
 When you are done with the message, click the Send button and your mail will be
sent.

To read a received mail, follow the below step;

 Once you are logged in to your box, click the Inbox button
 Click any of the message you wish to read and it opens in a new tab

8.5Week 8 Exercise
1. List ten web browsers and the year in which it was created.
2. Create a new email address
3. Go to www.wikipedia.com and download articles on introduction to computer
science
4. Use the address created in question 2 above and send an email to
cscfulafia@gmail.com and let the content be any news item found on
www.fulafia.edu.ng as well as the article in 3 above.

46
WEEK 9: SIMPLE MAINTENANCE TECHNIQUES
Objective

 Simple steps involved in maintaining the computer

 How to install an antivirus software
 How to carry out windows security settings

9.1 Simple Maintenance Techniques

 For a desktop computer, always ensure that the computer is disconnected from power
source when not in use
 Liquid substances should be kept at a considerably far distance from the computer as
any spill of the substance may destroy system components
 Always shut down your computer by following the proper shut down procedure
 For a Laptop computer, always ensure that it is off before attempting to remove/replace
the battery
 Do not drain the computer battery completely before recharging as this can shorten the
life span of the battery
 Ensure to have a periodic back up of files and folders
 Keep the monitor on a levelled surface to prevent it from falling
 Ensure to connect every computer peripheral needed to the system unit before starting
the computer
 Dust the keyboard daily so as to prevent stiffness of keys
 Ensure that the firewall and any installed anti-virus are turned ON before connecting to
the Internet this helps to secure the Operating System of the computer from virus attack

9.2 Installing an Antivirus

Note: Before installing an antivirus, ensure that no other antivirus software is running on the
computer because having two of such will cause the computer to run slowly and may also
cause the computer to crash.

To install an antivirus or any other software, follow the steps given below;

47
  Insert installation CD in the CD drive or if in a flash disk, insert flash disk in USB port
 Double click the source location of your antivirus in the My Computer window
 In the list of files of the antivirus software, locate the file with a .exe extension e.g.
avast.exe and double click it to run it
 If a System Security window pops up asking you whether to allow the installation of
the software, click yes.
 The antivirus will commence installation, follow the installation wizard and ensure
to read every message displayed by the wizard before clicking a button
 Once the installation process is complete, click Finish

9.3 Windows Security Settings

Windows security settings are steps you can take to protect your system. It is important to
have a backup of your system and document files and also to have your firewall turned ON.

To turn ON a computer’s firewall, follow the steps below;

 Click on the Start button

 Click Control Panel
 Click the System and Security option
 In the System and Security window, click Windows Firewall
 In the Windows Firewall window, click Turn Windows Firewall ON or OFF
 In the new window that appears, select Turn ON Windows Firewall (do this for all
the networks available) and click Ok

NOTE: Before you do a system backup, ensure the media (e.g. external hard disk or DVD)
you want to back up the files to be connected/inserted to/in the computer and its free
available size will be able to accommodate the files you are intending to backup.

To do a system backup, follow the steps below;

 Click on the Start button

 Click Control Panel
 Click the System and Security option
 In the System and Security window, click Backup and Restore
 Select the media and click Back up Now
 Wait for the backup to conclude (this will take a very long period of time depending
on the size of the files you are backing up) click the close button and remove the
media

48
9.4 Week 9 practice exercise
1. List five anti-virus programs available and five names of known virus.

2. Shut down the computer system following the proper shut down procedure.

3. Copy files and folders from the computer to an external storage device for backup.

4. Turn on windows firewall on the computer system.

5. Install antivirus software on the computer system.

49