Page 2 - Technology Applications

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What Is the Purpose of an Operating System?

When you use a computer program, most of the activity
you see on the screen is conducted by the operating sys-

tem. An application, such as a word processor, asks the
operating system to perform actions, such as opening a

file, printing a document, or showing a list of recently

used documents.
To fulfill these requests, the operating system needs

to know how to handle different file formats, or stan-
dards used to save data on a disk. Those formats deter-

mine how text documents, graphics, audio, and video

files are stored and used. The operating system also
maintains the settings that allow all hardware in the

computer to be used. System utilities help make sure

that the operating system and the computer run
smoothly as they perform their tasks.

Chapter Outline

Lesson 4–1 What’s Online
Interactive tutorials
Exploring Vocabulary Preview worksheet
the Operating Learn More interactivities
System
Check Your Understanding
instant feedback assessment
Lesson 4–2
Check Your Knowledge
Exploring System instant feedback assessment
Utilities
Interdisciplinary practice
© Pearson Education, Inc. activities
Interdisciplinary application
activities

Understanding System Software 47