From Computer Hardware to Software
Olis Rubin · 2022
After an introduction to the digital computer, this chapter presents many of the important facilities that are available in a scientific language. It shows some fundamental techniques whereby a programming language can be used to perform relatively complex tasks. The chapter considers models of continuous motion by means of differential equation; thus we require methods whereby a digital computer, which is a discrete device, can emulate continuous behavior. It then presents techniques whereby this can be achieved. The first computers were programmed by writing each step separately in binary code. Such a set of instructions, known as a program, can then be loaded into the computer memory bank. Scientific computations can be done through underlying software that allows us to write our instructions in a language that resembles the equations that are familiar to mathematicians. A digital computer is a state transition machine.