3.1.2

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

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Central Processing Units

All modern Central Processing Units (CPUs) are based on the Von Neumann architecture. The components of this architecture are:

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Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)

  • The ALU performs all of the arithmetic and logical operations of the CPU, including:
    • Addition and subtraction, multiplication and division.
    • Comparisons such as whether numbers are equal or if one is greater than another.
    • Boolean operations such as AND, OR and NOT.
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Control Unit (CU)

  • Sends out control signals to other parts of the CPU.
  • Executes program instructions by following the fetch-decode-execute cycle.
  • Made up of two key parts:
    • The clock - coordinates the CPU's activity.
    • The decoder - decodes program instructions.
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Registers and Cache

  • Registers and cache are tiny amounts of super-quick memory within the CPU.
    • Used to hold information needed for the CPU to work.
    • Each register holds a specific piece of information.

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