Computer Knowledge: Fundamentals, Office and Security
Computer Knowledge in IBPS RRB is elementary: hardware and software, memory, operating systems, MS Office, internet and networking, DBMS basics and cyber safety.
Core rules
- RAM is volatile and holds running programs; ROM is non-volatile firmware. Cache is faster than RAM; registers are fastest.
- 1 byte = 8 bits; 1 KB = 1024 bytes; 1 MB = 1024 KB.
- Common shortcuts: Ctrl+C/V/X copy/paste/cut, Ctrl+Z undo, Ctrl+Y redo, Ctrl+S save, Ctrl+E centre-align in Word, F5 refresh or slideshow.
- Networking: LAN is local, WAN spans large areas; HTTP is unsecured, HTTPS is encrypted with TLS.
- DBMS: a primary key uniquely identifies a row; a foreign key links tables.
Worked example
Convert binary 1101 to decimal. 1101₂ = 1×2³ + 1×2² + 0×2¹ + 1×2⁰ = 8 + 4 + 0 + 1 = 13. So 1101₂ = 13₁₀.
Traps
- Calling ROM volatile or RAM permanent.
- Confusing a bit with a byte in speed and storage questions.
- Treating HTTP as secure; only HTTPS encrypts.
- Mixing undo (Ctrl+Z) with redo (Ctrl+Y).
- Calling a compiler and an interpreter the same thing: a compiler translates the whole program before execution.