Assessment 1 Flashcards
Algorithm
set of instructions for solving a problem or completing a task
Abstraction
removing unimportant parts of a problem in order to concentrate on those that are important
Decomposition
breaking down a problem into smaller more manageable ones
Structure diagram
used to show how a problem is broken down
Algorithmic thinking
an approach to solving problems by the use of algorithms (sequences of steps that lead to a solution)
Purpose of CPU
Brain of the computer, processes instructions
Von Neumann architecture
Program instructions and the data the programs are using are both stored in the same memory (The CPU accesses both instructions and data from the same RAM)
Program Counter (PC)
holds the address of the next instruction to be executed
Memory Address Register (MAR)
holds the memory address of the current instruction, and then the data that it uses, so that these can be fetched from memory
Memory Data Register (MDR)
holds the actual instruction, and then the data that has been fetched from memory
Accumulator
holds the result of an instruction before it is transferred to memory
Control Unit
coordinates and controls all of the activities taking place within the CPU:
decodes instructions and executes them
receives signals from the system clock
directs the timing and control of other parts of the CPU
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
where the actual arithmetic operations are done
What operations does the Arithmetic Logic Unit carry out
And, or, not
How does the CPU operate
Fetch decode execute
