Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Monitor and Printer
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Computer devices are grouped as input devices, output devices, and storage devices based on how they interact with data. Output devices present processed information to the user, either visually or in printed form. This question asks you to identify which option lists two such output devices commonly used with personal computers.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Output devices are hardware components that convey information from the computer to the user. The monitor (or display) shows text and graphics on screen, and the printer produces hard copies of documents and images. Floppy disks and CDs are storage devices used to save data, not output it directly to users. Keyboards and mice are input devices that send user commands into the computer. Therefore, the only option that correctly lists two output devices together is the pair Monitor and Printer.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the monitor as a visual display unit that shows output from the computer.
Step 2: Identify the printer as a device that prints text and images onto paper, providing a physical output.
Step 3: Recognise that floppy disks and CDs are used to store and transfer data but do not directly present information for reading or viewing.
Step 4: Recognise that the keyboard and mouse are used by the user to send data and commands into the system, making them input devices.
Step 5: Compare the options and see that only Monitor and Printer are both output devices.
Step 6: Select Monitor and Printer as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Introductory computer textbooks classify devices into input, output, and storage categories. Monitors and printers are always listed among the primary output devices. Storage devices like floppy disks and CDs are described in separate sections as secondary storage. Keyboards and mice appear under input devices. This clear classification across multiple sources confirms that Monitor and Printer is the correct pair of output devices.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Floppy disk and CD: Both are storage media used to save and move data; they are not regarded as output devices.
Keyboard and Mouse: Both are input devices used for typing and pointing, not for displaying or printing computer output.
None of these: Incorrect because Monitor and Printer in option A are valid output devices.
Common Pitfalls:
A frequent misunderstanding is to think that any device that sends or receives data is an output device. In reality, the classification is about the direction of information flow relative to the user. If information flows from the user to the computer, the device is an input device. If information flows from the computer to the user in a human readable form, the device is an output device. Storage devices hold data but do not directly display or print it, so they are in a separate category. Keeping this distinction clear will help you answer similar classification questions correctly.
Final Answer:
The two devices that are both output devices are Monitor and Printer.
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