How has the speed of processors changed?

• Several things have contributed to the birth of Data Science
  • The increase in storage space has led to ability to collect and store larger and larger data sets.
  • The increase in processor speed has led to the ability to process these datasets.
• A prediction know as Moore's Law has held true when describing increases in computer power.
  • In 1965 Gordon Moore predicted that the speed of computers would roughly double every year and a half.
  • This is oversimplified, but it has mostly held true.
• Let's do a couple of computations to see how Moore's Law worked.
  1. Simple speed computation:
     • Assume I purchased a bicycle in 2000 and want to ride to Daytona Florida.
       • I can ride the bike at 10 MPH
       • It is about 1,000 miles to Daytona
     • Start excel.
     • Place the following data in cells
       • A1: Year
       • A2: Jan 2000
       • B1: Speed (MPH)
       • B2: 10
       • C1: Hours to Daytona
       • 
     • Adjust the headings so everything fits.
     • Make column B wider by moving the cursor over the right border of the cell header and double clicking.
     • Repeat this with column C
     • Bold and center the headings.
     • 
  2. We want to put the distance to Daytona in the worksheet, that way we can change it if we move.
     • Place the following
       • Cell A19: Distance to Daytona
       • Cell C19: 1000
       • Cell A20: Days to Double
       • We will use 1.5 years or
       • Cell C20: =1.5*365
       • 
     • By the way, we can view the computations by pressing ctrl-~
       • 
       • You can also do this by the Formula tab,Formula Auditing workgroup, Show Formula toggle, but I can never remember this.
       • ctrl-~ turns this back off too.
  3. Now compute the time to Daytona at 10 MPH in cell C2.
     • This is just the distance (c19) divided by the speed (b2)
     • =c19/b2
     • 
     • Looking at this, it would take me 100 hours to ride my bike to Daytona Fl at 10MPH.
  4. But we want to assume Moore's Law is in effect for my bike, so
     • In cell A3 put =A2+C$20 (what is this)
       • Note the $, more on this later.
     • In cell B3 put =B2*2 (what is this)
     • In cell C3 put =C2/2 (What is this)
     • 
     • 
  5. Now we want to copy the entire computation through the year 2020.
     • Highlight cells A3:C3
     • 
     • Click-hold on the green box in the lower right hand corner of the green box
     • Drag the corner down to cell C16 and release the button
     • 
     • This will copy the formulas down and complete the computation.
     • 
  6. I can't read fractional hours, so let's add a minute column
     • In cell D1 put Minutes to Daytona
     • In cell D9 put =C9*60
     • Copy this down through cell D16
     •