punch card

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Punch Card

Definition: A punch card is a card that has holes punched in it to represent data. These holes can be used to store information, such as numbers or instructions, and were commonly used in early computers and for recording attendance or tasks.

Usage Instructions:

• Basic Use: You can think of a punch card as an early way to store information before computers became very advanced. Each hole in the card represents a piece of data.
• Context: Punch cards were often used in factories, schools, and businesses to track work hours or to input data into computing machines.

Example:

• "In the past, workers would use punch cards to clock in and out of their jobs."

Advanced Usage:

• Punch cards were a significant part of computer programming and data processing in the mid-20th century. Today, they are mostly historical, but they are sometimes referenced in discussions about the evolution of technology.

Word Variants:

• Punch Card System: Refers to the method or process of using punch cards.
• Punched Card: Another term for a punch card, emphasizing that holes have been punched into it.

Different Meanings:

• In a more historical context, a "punch card" specifically refers to the physical card used in computers, but it can also refer to the concept of storing data in a physical format.

Synonyms:

• Data card
• Punched card
• Perforated card

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "punch card," but you might come across phrases like "punch in" or "punch out," which refer to the action of recording time worked (using a punch card).

Conclusion:

Understanding the concept of a punch card helps in grasping the history of data storage and processing.

Academic

Noun

1. a card on which data can be recorded in the form of punched holes

Synonyms

• punched card
• Hollerith card