Hardware can be defined as:

• A. The physical components that make things work
• B. Data needed to tell the computer what to do and how to behave
• C. Fast, low cost PC systems that permeate the workplace often less than $500 each
• D. A computer designed to efficiently run server applications

Answer: (A)

Understanding hardware means the tangible parts that actually make a computer or device run. These are the physical components you can touch—the motherboard, processor, memory, storage drives, power supply, and connected peripherals. They form the tangible foundation that executes the instructions stored in software and operates the system.

The other descriptions point to software or use-case aspects, not the physical components. Software or data refers to the instructions and information the hardware processes, while the market-style or design-focused phrases describe types of devices or configurations, not what hardware is.