Class 10 Chapter 2: Short Question Answers (SRQs)
1) What is the significance of the Most Significant Bit (MSB) in signed binary numbers?
Answer:
The MSB indicates the sign of a number:
- 0 → Positive
- 1 → Negative
This helps computers identify if a binary number is positive or negative.
2) What is a binary digit, and why is it fundamental in computer systems?
Answer: A binary digit (bit) is the smallest data unit, having a value of 0 or 1. Computers operate on bits due to their two-state (ON/OFF) circuitry.
3) Why are binary numbers more efficient for computer calculations than decimal numbers?
Answer: Because digital circuits naturally handle two states (0 and 1), binary is faster and simpler for computer processing.
4) How do ASCII and Unicode differ in character representation?
Answer:
| Feature | ASCII | Unicode |
|---|---|---|
| Full Form | American Standard Code for Information Interchange | Universal Character Encoding Standard |
| Bit Size | 7 bits | Up to 32 bits |
| Character Range | 0–127 | 1.1 million+ characters |
| Language Support | Only English | Supports global languages & emojis |
| Examples | A=65, a=97 | A=U+0041, ह=U+0939 |
| Usage | Simple text files | Modern systems/websites |
5) What is the importance of positional value in number systems? Give two examples.
Answer: Positional value gives meaning to a digit based on its place:
- In 345, the '5' is in units, '4' in tens.
- In binary 1010, the second 1 is in the 8’s place (2³).
6) What is the process to convert a binary number to its hexadecimal equivalent?
Answer: Group binary digits in sets of 4 (from right), then convert each group to hex.
7) What is the purpose of machine code in computer operations?
Answer: Machine code is the set of instructions directly executed by the CPU in binary format.
8) Why coding scheme is used in computers? Give three reasons.
Answer: Coding schemes allow text to be represented as binary for:
- Data storage
- Data transmission
- Text processing
9) State five differences between a process and a thread.
Answer:
- A process is independent; a thread runs within a process.
- Processes need more resources.
- Threads share memory; processes don’t.
- Processes have separate address spaces.
- Threads are quicker to create than processes.
10) What is memory management and how does it work in an operating system?
Answer: Memory management allocates and frees memory to programs efficiently, avoiding conflicts and ensuring system performance.
11) What is a real-time operating system and where is it commonly used?
Answer: A real-time OS (RTOS) responds instantly to inputs. It's used in critical systems like medical devices, aircraft controls, and automation systems.
12) Differentiate between multiprogramming and multitasking operating systems.
Answer:
- Multiprogramming: Runs multiple programs one at a time.
- Multitasking: Allows multiple tasks to run simultaneously.
13) List two pros and two cons of on-premises hosting.
Answer:
- Pros: Full control over data, Highly customizable.
- Cons: High maintenance cost, Needs in-house IT team.
14) What is an application patch? Give key functions of it.
Answer: An application patch fixes software bugs, adds new features, and improves security or performance.
15) Differentiate between offline and online applications. Give one example of each.
Answer:
- Offline: Works without internet (e.g., MS Word)
- Online: Needs internet (e.g., Google Docs)