Chapter 1

1. Discuss the layers of a computing system to list and briefly describe each layer. What is the importance of these combined layers?
2. Discuss how the early history of computing hardware differs from the several generations that followed in terms of the focus.
3. Discuss computer software history in terms of the generations and the years that encompassed the generations. Consider how writing programs progressed with each generation as compared to writing in machine code in the first-generation.
4. When considering computing as a discipline, determine and briefly describe the four areas in which Peter Denning states each practitioner must be skilled.

Chapter 5

1. Describe the stored program concept and discuss the importance of this concept.  List and briefly describe the five components of the von Neumann architecture. 
2. Describe embedded systems and provide two examples of embedded systems within systems that you use.
3. Discuss the importance of parallel architectures and list the four general forms of parallel computing.