computer science

IBM 7701

IBM 7701 is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IBM 7701 rather than just read about it. In short: The IBM 7701 Magnetic Tape Transmission Terminal was a communications device announced by IBM in 1960. It was designed to transfer the contents of a reel of magnetic tape over a leased or dial telephone circuit.

Key takeaways

IBM 7701 belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IBM 7701 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IBM 7701 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The IBM 7701 Magnetic Tape Transmission Terminal was a communications device announced by IBM in 1960. It was designed to transfer the contents of a reel of magnetic tape over a leased or dial telephone circuit. The IBM 7702 was a similar device that could communicate at higher speeds. The 7701 was the first product introduced in conjunction with IBM's TELE-PROCESSING trademark.

Technical details The 7701 communicated using the Synchronous transmit-receive (STR) communications protocol over either private or switched (message service) telephone lines. It operated at speeds of either 75 or 150 characters per second (cps). The 7702 operated at speeds of either 150, 250, or 300 characters per second. The devices used a special incremental magnetic tape drive that was controlled by the STR communications unit. The drive used standard one half inch, seven track magnetic tape reels recorded at 200 bytes per inch (BPI). It moved the tape on demand in increments of .005 inches (0.13 mm) and was capable of reading data under the read/write head even when the tape was stationary. Either binary or BCD tapes could be processed. The 7701 could communicate with a remote computer system or with another 7701 or 7702.

Dimensions The 7701 was 58 inches (150 cm) high, 29 inches (74 cm) wide, and 31 inches (79 cm) deep.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IBM 7701

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IBM 7701 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IBM 7701 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IBM 7701 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IBM 7701

In research: IBM 7701 appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IBM 7701 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IBM 7701 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer hardware stubs, IBM computer terminals, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IBM 7701 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study IBM 7701 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IBM 7701 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IBM 7701 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IBM 7701 in simple terms?

Why does IBM 7701 matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IBM 7701?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IBM 7701.