A common misconception is that computers can do anything. Actually, they are quite limited. Most computers are limited to four mathematical operations and three comparison operations.

The four basic mathematical operations are:

• Addition (+)
• Subtraction (-)
• Multiplication (*)
• Division (/)

The three comparisons are:

• Equal to (=)
• Less than (<)
• Greater than (>)

Everything the computer does is done with one or combinations of the above. Programming ingenuity makes the computer seem "intelligent".

Despite this, many things can be done with a computer. Just a few examples:

• Money: Banking/cashless economy
• Health: Business/diagnosis
• Commerce: Control plants/monitor energy use
• Science: Data analysis/experiments
• Transportation: Airline control/rapid transit
• Government: Everything! - Largest computer user
• Agriculture: Crop and weather information
• Human welfare: Helping disabled/study society

 Hardware vs. Software