Classwork Series and Exercises {ICT-JSS1}: The Keyboard and Its Sections

The Keyboard and Its Sections

Keyboard is a keypad device with keys or buttons that a user presses to input data character or command into a computer. Keyboards emerged from the combination of typewriter and computer-terminal technology. They are one of the fundamental pieces of personal computer (PC) hardware together with the Central Processing Unit (CPU), Visual Display Unit (VDU) or Monitor and Mouse or other cursor devices.

The most common English-language key pattern for typewriters and keyboards is called QWERTY. Computer keyboard copied the QWERTY key layout and have followed the precedent set by the typewriter manufacturers of keeping this convention.

Types of Keyboard

1.Standard Keyboard: This regarded as the old or obsolete type of keyboard that is not in use again in all technological advanced environments. It consists of about 89 keys that comprises of 10 Function keys and only One Shift key on the left side of the keyboard.

2.Enhanced Keyboard: This is the latest keyboard type that is presently in use. It comes with 101 to 107 keys that comprises of 12 Function keys and has two Shift keys each on both sides of the keyboard.

Keyboard Sections

The Keyboard is divided into five (5) main sections:

1.   Alphanumeric keys: These comprises of the keys of the alphabets and numbers. They are A-Z, 0-9 and other special characters. They are used for entering alphabetic characters (A-Z), numeric figures (0-9) and special characters (such as +, @”£$ %^&*()_) into the computer.

Note: The following keys are used in conjunction with the alphanumeric keys: Shift, Caps Lock, Enter, Spacebar, Tab and Back space key.

2.   The Function keys: They are the additional special keys on a keyboard for special use in Operating system and Application programs by various Computer scientists such as a Programmer. Ranges from F1 to F12 performing different functions.

3.   Numeric keys: The numeric keys arrangement is like a Calculator (Simple Adding machine) buttons’ arrangement. It is at the right-hand side of the keyboard but not on most Notebook, Mini-Computer or I-Pad categories of PC’s keyboard.

4.   Control keys: Control keys are arranged in different positions on the keyboard. They are Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause, Insert, Home, Delete, End, Page, Down, Page Up, Control(Ctrl),Alternate(Alt), Escape(Esc) and Num Lock.

5.   Cursor keys: Cursor keys enable the users to move the cursor around the screen surface during operation. They are represented by arrows to the left, right, Up, and down on the keyboard.

Giving Command with Keyboard such, e.g. Booting Command

Using power switch to turn the computer ON and OFF is called COLD BOOTING while the use of combination of keys on keyboard (Command) is called WARM BOOTING. The three keys that are involved are  Control(Ctrl),Alternate(Alt) and Delete(Del) keys which can be carried out in the following ways: Ctrl and Alt keys are first pressed together with left hand because they are close to each other and Del is pressed with right hand. Immediately the system starts to reload the operating system (Warm Booting).

Tests and Exercises

1.   Which of the following is found on the keyboard?

a.   Function keys b. Option menu c. Tool bar d. Formatting bar. Answer: Function keys

2.    Computer keyboard is regarded as what categories of device?

a. Output device b. Input device c. processing device d. writing device. Answer: Input device

3.   The kind of computer keyboard with eighty-nine (89) keys and ten (10) function keys is referred to as _____________ keyboard.

a.   Enhanced    b.  Flat    c.  Standard    d.   Optical. Answer:  Standard

4.    Which of the following is not part of the five (5) divisions of keyboard?

a.   Alphanumeric   b.   Functions   c.  Numeric   d.  Window. Answer:  Window

5.    The kind of computer keyboard with between 101 and 107 keys is referred to as __________ keyboard.    

a. Standard   b.   Flat    c.   Enhanced    d.  None of the above. Answer: Enhanced

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