When doing research on the theory of computing, I looked up the two words in the dictionary. The definitions of a theory is systematically organized knowledge, especially a set of assumptions or statements devised to explain a phenomenon or class of phenomena; an assumption, a conjecture. One definition of compute is to determin something by the use of mathematics, especially by numerical methods. When one thinks about ways our world functions, one almost immediately thinks of the advancements of technology. Everything we do throughout the day involves some sort of technolgy. As students, we use the computer constantly for papers for school, and as a society, we use for instance, cell phones to get a hold of people while we are away from the home or office. All of these things involve technolgy. Technology plays a major role in helping people solve many problems. So, what is the teory of computing you ask? It is easy to answer; the theory of computing is to arrange certain data from one thing, nad turning it into something else to get a result. Basically the theory of computing is the input, processing, and output method. As I sit here typing all this up for my computer science class, I am using the computing theory because the computer is changing the numbers 1 and 0 in the binary code to letters and numbers. The students in the computer science class each had to perform an experiment with a computing device earlier this semester which had to have an input, a process, and an out put in order for it to be acceptable. Without the theory of computing, it is very doubtful that society would run the way it does. In the 21st century, computers play a vital role to everyday living. For instance, without computers, we would not able to look up information on the internet, send e-mails, or even communicate with people all oer the world through instant messaging. Computers make all these things possible. So how does the theory of computing play in technology? Well, it is simple. As I sit down to write this paper, the words that I am typing on the paper is the input, the process is the words being developed into a nice structured paper, changing from the binary code to letters, and the final output is obviously the printed paper. Another example is the new Motorola 2 Way Pagers. The input is the message that is typed, the process is it being sent through the devices, and the output is the message received. The theory of computing can be used in numerous ways, not just with computers or electronic devices. For example, the computing device I made earlier this semester was a coloring machine that required no electrical wiring or hook ups to work. But, it did have the input, process, and output method, therefore making it a computing device. To summarize what the theory of computing states, as long as it has an input, a process, and an output, it is following the theory of computing, thus making it a computer. If it is lacking these three components, it is not a computer. Here is a picture of me and my computing device, The Automatic Coloring Machine.

Created by Sara Baca