Q: how do i download pictures from my personal computer to my IPAD

You can sync photos from your computer using iTunes.

iTunes: Syncing photos

You can transfer photos using a WiFi transfer app like this one. (There are others in the App Store)

http://www.wirelesstransferapp.com/

You can use DropBox

https://www.dropbox.com/ipad

Apple - Support - Manuals

there are step by step instructions in the manual

In addition to use iTunes to import the photos, if you don't have a lot, you can e-mail them to yourself. Or you can use a service like Dropbox to upload from the pc and download on the iPad, or you  can use any of a myriad of photo syncing apps.

If you follow the proper naming convention, you can buy the camera connection kit, put your photos on a SD card and import form there. (must be in a folder named DCIM and all file names must be 8 characters. I don't recommend using a USB drive. getting them to work can be tricky.

Another way. You can use a USB flash drive & the camera connection kit.

Plug the USB flash drive (works the same with an SD card) into your computer & create a new folder titled DCIM. Then put your movie/photo files into the folder. The files must have a filename with exactly 8 characters long (no spaces) plus the file extension (i.e., my-movie.mov; DSCN0164.jpg).

Now plug the flash drive into the iPad using the camera connection kit. Open the Photos app, the movie/photo files should appear & you can import. (You can not export using the camera connection kit.)

Using The iPad Camera Connection Kit

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4101

 Cheers, Tom