Factors Affecting CPU Performance

Not all Central Processing Units (CPUs) will execute code at the same speed. Some processors will be faster than others depending on the following factors:

Clock speed

The CPU's clock sends a pulse at fixed intervals to trigger the next stage of the fetch, decode, execute (FDE) cycle.
The higher the clock speed, the more pulses are sent per second, so more instructions can be executed in the same amount of time.

Cores

Each core of a CPU is capable of processing instructions independently.
Each core has its own Control Unit (CU) and Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), but the cores share access to cache and main memory.
Multiple cores allows a CPU to process multiple instructions at the same time.

Cache memory

Cache memory is a small amount of very fast memory inside the CPU.
In comparison to the cache, accessing the Random Access Memory (RAM) is a very slow operation.
By storing frequently accessed data and instructions in cache memory we can avoid the process of accessing the RAM.

1Problem Solving

1.1Algorithms

1.1.1Algorithm Thinking

1.1.2Interpreting Algorithms

1.1.3Expressing Algorithms - Pseudocode

1.1.4Expressing Algorithms - Flow Charts

1.1.5Correcting Algorithms

1.1.6Completing Algorithms

1.1.7Search Algorithms

1.1.8Linear Search

1.1.9Binary Search

1.1.10Sort Algorithms

1.1.11Bubble Sort

1.1.12Merge Sort

1.2Decomposition & Abstraction

1.2.1Computational Thinking - Abstraction

1.2.2Computational Thinking - Decomposition

1.2.3End of Topic Test - Algorithms

2Programming

3Data

3.1Binary

3.1.1Number Bases

3.1.2Negative Binary Numbers

3.1.3Binary Addition

3.1.4Binary Shifts

3.2Data Representation

3.2.1Representing Text

3.2.2ASCII

3.2.3Unicode

3.2.4Representing Images

3.2.5Representing Sound

3.3Data Storage & Compression

3.3.1Capacity

3.3.2Calculating Capacity Requirements

3.3.3Data Compression

3.3.4Run Length Encoding

3.4Encryption

3.4.1Encryption

3.4.2Caesar Cipher

3.4.3Ciphers

3.5Databases

3.5.1Databases

3.5.2End of Topic Test - Data & Representation

4Computers

4.1Machines & Computational Modelling

4.1.1Computational Models

4.1.2Input-Process-Output Model

4.2Hardware

4.3Logic

4.3.1Binary Systems

4.3.2Logic Circuits

4.3.3Boolean Logic

4.3.4End of Topic Test - Logic

4.4Software

4.4.1Operating Systems

4.4.2User Interface Managetment

4.4.3Memory and Process Management

4.4.4File Management

4.4.5Device Management

4.4.6User Management

4.4.7Encryption Software

4.4.8Defragmentation Software

4.4.9Data Compression Software

4.4.10Backup Software

4.5Programming Languages

4.5.1High Level Languages

4.5.2Low Level Languages

4.5.3Translators - Compilers

4.5.4Translators - Interpreters

4.5.5Translators - Assemblers

4.5.6End of Topic Test - Translation & Representation

5Communication & The Internet

5.1Networks

5.2Network Security

5.2.1User Access Levels

5.2.2Encryption

5.2.3Protecting Against Malware

5.2.4Firewalls

5.2.5Forms of Attack

5.2.6Penetration Testing

5.2.7Malware

5.2.8How Malware Spreads

5.2.9Social Engineering

5.2.10Protecting Against Social Engineering

5.2.11Phishing

5.2.12Network Administration

5.2.13Network Forensics

5.3The Internet & the World Wide Web

5.3.1IP Addresses

5.3.2Types of IP Address

5.3.3MAC Addresses

5.3.4Packet Switching

5.3.5How Do Packets Get Routed?

5.3.6Did My Data Arrive Safely?

5.3.7The Internet

5.3.8URLs

5.3.9DNS

5.3.10Web Hosting

5.3.11End of Topic Test - Security

6The Bigger Picture

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