Paper 1

• What is the basis for the majority of computers used today?

  Von Neumann architecture
• What does the fetch-decode-execute cycle describe?

  How a processor functions
• What is a general purpose computer?

  • A computer designed to carry out a wide range of instructions
  • Examples include PCs, tablets, smartphones, and games consoles
• What tasks can a general purpose computer perform?

  Access the internet, use word processing software, play games, and store data
• What is software in the context of a computer system?

  Programs, applications, and data in a computer system
• What does the acronym CPU stand for?

  Central Processing Unit
• What is an application in computing?

  A software program that allows a user to perform a specific task
• What is the primary function of the CPU?

  It processes program instructions
• What are examples of devices classified as general purpose computers?

  • Tablets
  • Smartphones
  • Games consoles
  • Media systems in cars
• What are the six main components of the CPU?

  • Control Unit (CU)
  • Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
  • Registers
  • Cache Memory
  • Buses
  • Clock
• What is hardware in a computer system?

  The physical parts of a computer system
• What role does the Control Unit (CU) play in the CPU?

  It manages instructions
• What is the role of the CPU in a computer?

  It processes program instructions and controls the computer system
• What is the function of a hard disk drive?

  To store large amounts of data
• What does the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) do?

  It performs arithmetic and logic calculations
• What is the purpose of registers in the CPU?

  They store data to be processed
• What is the purpose of a monitor in a computer system?

  To display output from a computer
• What is cache memory?

  A piece of temporary high-speed memory
• What is the flow of data within a general purpose computer?

  Data is input, processed, and then either output or sent to secondary storage
• What is primary memory in a computer?

  The part of a computer that stores data while it is being processed
• How does cache memory improve processing speed?

  It holds data and instructions likely to be reused
• What is an input device?

  A device used to input data or information into a computer
• What is the function of buses in the CPU?

  They transport data and instructions
• What is an output device?

  A device used to output data or information from a computer
• What does the clock component in the CPU do?

  It sends out regular pulses to synchronize components
• What are the two main functions of the CPU?

  To process data and instructions, and to control the rest of the computer system
• What are the functions of the Control Unit (CU)?

  • Fetches data from memory
  • Decodes instructions
  • Executes instructions
  • Issues control signals to hardware
  • Moves data around the system
• Why is the CPU considered the most important hardware component in a computer?

  Because it runs all programs and processes all data
• What are the two main functions of the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)?

  It performs arithmetic and logical operations
• What is the general purpose computer model?

  • Input: Data is entered into the system
  • Processing: CPU processes instructions and data
  • Output: Results are sent to output devices
  • Storage: Data is sent to secondary storage if needed
• What is the relationship between the ALU and memory?

  Data transferred between them passes through the ALU
• What type of memory is RAM?

  Volatile memory
• What happens to data stored in RAM when the computer is turned off?

  It is lost
• What is the purpose of registers in the CPU?

  To store small amounts of data needed during processing
• What are some common types of registers in a CPU?

  • Program Counter (PC)
  • Memory Address Register (MAR)
  • Memory Data Register (MDR)
  • Current Instruction Register (CIR)
  • Accumulator (ACC)
• What architecture provides the basis for the majority of computers today?

  Von Neumann architecture
• What are the stages of the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

  1. Fetch the instruction from memory
  2. Decode the instruction
  3. Execute the instruction
  4. Store the results
• What does the fetch-decode-execute cycle describe?

  How a processor functions
• What is the role of the program counter in the fetch-decode-execute cycle?

  It holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched
• What happens to the program counter after fetching an instruction?

  It is incremented by one