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What Are Systems?

Author: Julie Tietz

Source: Image of Respitory System, Public Domain, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Respiratory_system_complete_en.svg; Image of U.S. Post Office, Public Domain,http://mrg.bz/QH52bo; Image of Mail Truck, Public Domain, http://mrg.bz/bOvsBN; Image of Post Box, Public Domain, http://mrg.bz/le07KU

Video Transcript
Terms to Know
Behavior

The action of a given component within a system.

Components

The specific elements that make up a given system.

Decompose

The process of analyzing a system as a collection of smaller sub-systems and components.

Inputs

The "ingredients" put through a system to be transformed into "product" (outputs).

Interconnectivity

The influences of behavior of system components on each other.

Outputs

The "product" created from the impact of a system on "ingredients" (inputs).

Structure

The set of relationships between components and their behaviors within a system.

Sub-System

A system which serves as a component of a larger system.

System

A set of components whose behaviors affect one another causing a sequence of related events leading towards an outcome (transformation of inputs into outputs).