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B4 Arithmetics Extension Kit
This kit extends the B4 Computer Processor Kit and offers an exciting opportunity to dive deeper into the inner workings of a digital system by expanding the arithmetic capabilities of the B4 towards multiplication, division and beyond. In the process of implementing these capabilities from the ground up in a computer, students learn about loops, conditional jumps, data pointers and memory addresses.
The Arithmetics Extension Kit ships with seven additional modules, one of which is a comprehensive control unit. This unit orchestrates the precise and orderly sequence of events and turns modules on and off.
Precise orchestration of computer functions within nano-seconds is challenging and is the reason why making computers is hard. With the B4 Control Unit students can influence the timing of the B4 computer. The control unit makes data pointers and loops possible, which are absolutely required for any higher-level algorithms.
The B4 Arithmetics Extension kit is also an Algorithmics extension kit as students are introduced to computer multiplication, division, average, and, as a special feature, Fibonacci Numbers.
Study Guide
The B4 Arithmetics Extension Kit is accompanied by a comprehensive course to guide teachers and students. Through a series of ten lessons, students experiment and learn about the challenges of making a loop, knowing when to stop a loop, data pointers, automation, designing a computer with its hardware and algorithms. The study guide also covers algorithmic representation through pseudocode, flowcharts, tables and actual code.