Price and Performance Trends for Computer Hardware.
• Price and Performance Trends for Computer Hardware
The performance of typical components has increased substantially over time, so the speed (for the microprocessor) or the capacity (for the storage devices) is also listed for comparison purposes. Although not all improvements in these components are reflected in these capacity measures, it is interesting to examine trends in these measurable characteristics. For this Application, you will use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and trend lines to estimate the value for “now.” This Application details price and capacity figures for common components of personal computers. You will examine typical prices for microprocessors, random-access memory (RAM), and hard disk storage prices.
Note: Before you begin this assignment, you will need to open a blank Microsoft Word document and save it as “WK1Assgn+first initial+last name.doc.” In this document, you will store three charts that show trends for three types of hardware (processor, RAM, and hard drive) and an analysis paper. As you work through the assignment, you will capture and store the three screenshots of the charts and type the paper in the same document. When you complete the assignment, you will submit the one document to show evidence of successfully creating a spreadsheet, interpreting historical data, analyzing current hardware performance data, and estimating the values of these hardware components for now.
Directions: (Detailed directions are listed below.)
1. Input the data from Chapter 3, Analysis Exercise 2, “Price and Performance Trends for Computer Hardware” into an Excel spreadsheet.
2. Create a set of three charts to visualize the trends for each type of hardware (processor, RAM, and hard drive).
3. Capture screenshots of the three Excel charts and include the charts in the Word document you will submit for this Application Assignment.
4. Interpret the data and estimate the value for “now.”
5. In a 350- to 750-word paper, defend how you arrived at your estimated current price and performance of computer hardware. Then, compare your estimation with what is available from Web vendors, and discuss any differences you note.
Submit your assignment by Day 6.
Detailed Directions
6. Input data from Analysis Exercise 2, “Price and Performance Trends for Computer Hardware” (textbook p. 126), into an Excel spreadsheet (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Price and Performance Trends Data
2. Create a series of three charts to represent data for the hardware: processor, RAM chip, and hard drive.
3. Create a scatter plot chart to show price and capacity trends over time for the processor.
4. To create the chart, highlight cells A1-G9 (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Processor Data
5. Choose the Chart Wizard icon from the tool bar (Figure 3). If the Chart Wizard is not visible, you can also choose Insert > Chart.
Figure 3. Chart Wizard
6. The Chart Wizard will guide you through Steps 1-4.
Step 1 of 4: Chart Type
• The Standard Types tab is automatically selected.
• Select Select XY (Scatter).
• Of the chart subtype options, select Scatterwith data points connected by lines (Figure 4).
• Click Next.
Figure 4. XY (Scatter)
Step 2 of 4: Chart source data, click Next.
Step 3 of 4: Chart Option.
• Notice in Step 3, Chart Option has five tabs at the top. The Titles tab should automatically be selected. For the purpose of the assignment, you do not need to click on the other tabs.
• In the Chart Title window, type: Processor: Price and Performance Trends.
• In the Value X axis window, type: Year.
• In the Value Y axis window, type: Speed in MHz and Cost.
• Click Next.
Step 4 of 4: Chart Location.
• Place chart: As an Object in Sheet 1 (see Figures 5 and 6).
Figure 5. Chart Location
Figure 6. Processor Chart
7. Copy the chart and paste it into the Word document.
Create the second chart to represent data for the RAM chip.
8. Use the CTRL key (on your keyboard) to select Column A, Column D, and Column E.
Figure 7. RAM Chip Data
9. Repeat the procedures above (beginning with number 4). Use the Chart Wizard to create a chart that shows process and performance trends for the RAM chip.
10. Repeat procedures for the hard drive.
11. Capture screenshots of the three Excel charts and include the charts in the Word document you will submit for this Application Assignment.
12. Interpret the data, conduct Internet research from Web hardware vendors, and estimate the value for “now.”
13. In a 350- to 750-word paper, defend how you arrived at your estimated current price and performance of computer hardware. Then, compare your estimation with what is available from Web vendors, and discuss any differences you note.
• Resources Overview
During Week 1, you will use a variety of resources, including selections from the course textbooks and audio versions of key readings. The Weekly Schedule (a navigation link under Week 1) outlines the resources you will need to participate in the Discussion and complete the Application Assignment.
Below you will find this week’s individual resources available in this online classroom. You can play/view and download the individual course media assets where available.
This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week’s assigned Learning Resources. To access select media resources, please use the media players below.
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Media
Video: Week 1 Overview
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 15 minutes.
This video provides an introduction to the week’s resources and assignments.
Accessible player
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Reading
Course Text: O’Brien, J., &Marakas, G. (2013). Introduction to information systems (16th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
• Chapter 3, “Computer Hardware ”
Chapter 3 explains the different types of computer systems and offers a peek “under the hood” at the technologies in the system unit and common peripheral devices. You will get a short history of the computer and see many of its current applications in business.
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Audio
Chapter 3 Audio Summary
Chapter 3 Audio Summary(Transcript)
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Media
Video: Laureate Education (Producer). (2008). Computerhardware tour[Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
Watch this video tutorial to see the components of your computer.
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