A computer is an electronic device that can manipulate information or data. It can store, retrieve, and process data, and perform sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Computers can perform a wide range of tasks through programs, which are sets of operations that enable them to perform generic sets of operations. They can process numerical as well as non-numerical calculations. The term "computer" is derived from the Latin word "computare" which means to calculate.
All computers have two things in common: hardware and software. Hardware refers to any physical part of the computer, including the internal components such as wires, transistors, circuits, and hard disks. Software refers to the programs and data that the computer uses to execute applications and provide a variety of solutions through integrated hardware and software components.
Computers come in many shapes and sizes, and they perform many different functions in our daily lives. They can be personal computers such as desktops or laptops, or they can be specialized computers such as mainframes or supercomputers. They can be used to type documents, send email, play games, browse the web, edit or create spreadsheets, presentations, and even videos. They can also be used for large-scale computing, routing telephone connections through a network, and controlling mechanical systems such as automobiles.
