(a) Explain the following terms: (i) storage device; (ii) virtual memory. (b) Two storage devices have capacities 2KB and 2MB respectively. (i) Calculate th...

Answer Details

(a)

1. (i) A storage device is a physical device used to store digital information such as data, documents, pictures, videos, or software programs. Storage devices can be classified into primary storage devices and secondary storage devices. Primary storage devices include Random Access Memory (RAM) and cache memory, while secondary storage devices include Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), Solid State Drives (SSDs), USB flash drives, CD/DVDs, and memory cards.

2. (ii) Virtual memory is a technique used by a computer's operating system to expand the available memory by using the hard disk as temporary storage. When a computer runs out of RAM, it moves some of the less frequently used data from RAM to the hard disk, freeing up space in RAM for more immediate data. The operating system manages this process automatically, and the user is generally unaware of it.

(b)

1. (i) 2KB can hold 2,048 bits (1 byte = 8 bits, therefore 2KB = 2,048 bytes x 8 bits/byte = 16,384 bits) while 2MB can hold 16,777,216 bits (2MB = 2,048,000 bytes x 8 bits/byte = 16,777,216 bits).

2. (ii) To calculate the total capacity in bytes when the two storage devices are put together, we simply add the capacities of the two devices. Thus, the total capacity is 2KB + 2MB, which equals 2,048 bytes + 2,048,000 bytes = 2,050,048 bytes.