Software

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/software

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the conceptual origin?Ada Lovelace's algorithms for Babbage's Analytical Engine (mid-19th century)
2. What is the primary function?To provide instructions that enable hardware to perform computations and tasks
3. What is software and how does it help a computer?Software is like the brain of a computer, telling it what to do. It is made of code that gives instructions to the hardware. It lets games and apps work.
4. How is software different from hardware?Hardware is the physical parts you can touch, like the screen and keyboard. Software is invisible code that runs inside the computer. Together they make the computer work.

Algorithm: A step-by-step procedure or set of rules for solving a problem or performing a computation.
Programming Language: A formal language comprising a set of instructions used to produce various kinds of output.
Compiler: A program that translates source code written in a high-level language into machine code.
Operating System: System software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs.