Classifications of computer-BASED

There are basically three types of computers namely:-  Analogue, Digital and hybrid computers.

Analogue Computer:

A computer that performs computations [such as summations, multiplication, integration and other operations] by manipulating continuous physical variables that are analogs of the quantities being subjected to computations. The most commonly used physical variables are voltage and time. Some Analogue computers use mechanical components, the physical variables become, for example angular rotations and linear displacements. Examples of analogue computers include some wrist watches, car speedometers, thermometers etc. This computer is mainly used for research and scientific analysis. In research. The analogue computers are useful in the hospitals, Research Laboratories, Geology, Air- fields etc. In calculus, this computer are used in the solution of field problems like conductive and convective  heat transfer , fluid flow and structures. The nature of this type of problem is partial Differential Equations (PDE) and ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS (ODE). Generally, the analogue computer process data in form of electrical voltages, which are variable, like the variable positions of a pointer on a dial. The output  from analogue computers is often in the form of smooth graphs which information can be read. The analogue computers are grouped into two branches, these include:- Direct analogue computer (Special Purpose) and Indirect analogue computers (General purpose). 

Digital Computers

A computer that operates on discrete quantities. As the name implies, the digital computer is one which process data that are represented in the form of discrete values or non-continuous, such that they are either on ON or OFF ( 1 or 0 ) with no intermediate values steps.

Digital computers are also called binary because, they work with numbers in the form of separate digits. More precisely, they work with information that is digital or character form, including alphabetic and other symbols as well as numbers. They have different degrees of accuracy depending on their construction and machine characteristics. Digital computers are used mostly in business applications. For example, a computerized cash register is a digit number. It uses binary digits to precisely represent sales amount.

Hybrid Computer

A computer (system) that contains both a digital and an analogue computer features. The digital computer usually serves as the controller and provides logical operations. The analogue computer normally serves as a solver of differential equations. The hybrid computer is a combination of high- speed electronic analogue computer and a scientific digital computer linked together by a communication interface system. Hybrid computers are however, actively manufactured by several domestic and a number of foreign firms and continue to find application in the aerospace, process industries and in education.