computer science

Microcomputer Associates

Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates rather than just read about it. In short: Microcomputer Associates, Inc., was an American computer company founded by Manny Lemas and Ray Holt. It produced the low-cost Jolt Microcomputer, designed by Holt and released in 1975 for US$249 (equivalent to $1,490 in 2025).

Key takeaways

Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Microcomputer Associates from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Microcomputer Associates, Inc., was an American computer company founded by Manny Lemas and Ray Holt. It produced the low-cost Jolt Microcomputer, designed by Holt and released in 1975 for US$249 (equivalent to $1,490 in 2025). A Jolt microcomputer was notably used in the Atari VCS prototype by Cyan Engineering. MAI was later acquired by semiconductor manufacturer Synertek, a second source manufacturer of the 6502, and renamed Synertek Systems. It then created the SYM-1, a 6502-based single board microcomputer and spiritual successor to the KIM-1. In 1978 the company offered a number of processor and peripheral modules.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Microcomputer Associates

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates

In research: Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates 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: Microcomputer Associates is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1975 establishments in California, 1978 disestablishments in California, 1978 mergers and acquisitions, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Microcomputer Associates in simple terms?

Why does Microcomputer Associates 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 Microcomputer Associates?

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 Microcomputer Associates.