Computer Department

Year 9
Summary Sheet
1. Important Definitions:
1.1 Control Unit (CU): is the engine of the CPU, receives the instructions from a program,
and controls all the other parts of the CPU.

1.2 Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): is the calculator inside the CPU. If the control unit needs to
do a calculation it sends the data to it.

1.3 Clock: is a tiny chip that sends out regular electrical pulses, the clock in the CPU ticks 3.5
million times. Every tick means the CU carries out a new instruction.
1.4 Register: Small areas of memory inside the CPU. The control unit uses them to store instruction
and the data that the instruction will use.

1.5 Cache: is a type of memory that holds data that will be sent to the CPU, located outside
the CPU but is still close to it.

1.6 Random-access memory (RAM): a type of memory that holds the program you are
currently using working on, RAM is slightly away from the CPU than the cache.

1.7 Disk drive: store a large amount of data permanently.

1.8 Fetch: The control unit takes (fetches) the instructions from the cache

1.9 Decode: the CU translates (Converts) the instruction to machine code (binary code), then stores
instruction into the register.

1.10 Execute: ALU carry out the instruction from the register and calculate it then stores the result
in the register

1.11 Machine code: The language that the computer can understand, this language is written entirely
in binary 0/1.

1.12 Boolean Logic: Is a word used in computing to describe a statement that can be True or
False.

1.13 Truth Table: a way of laying out a logic problem in the table form.

1.14 Computer Memory: is where a computer stores data.

2. List four main parts of the CPU.( ALL the parts of the CPU are linked together by buses)
1. CU 2. ALU 3. Clock 4. Register
CPU contains a million tiny switches, the switches can be on or off
CPU stands for Central Processing Unit
3. Explain fetch-decode-execute Cycle?
First: the clock ticks to start the cycle.
Second: The CU fetches the instructions from the cache.
Third: the CU converts the instructions to binary code and store it in the register.
Forth: the ALU executes the instruction and stores it in the register.
Fifth: the clock ticks again to start a new cycle.

4. Why don’t programmers normally write programs in machine code?

Binary code is hard for people to understand and makes it difficult to write a code.

5. Computer Memory: is where a computer stores data, (register, cache, and RAM) hold data
for a short time, (Disk drive) can hold data for a long time and can be used again
6. Why doesn't the CPU get the data directly from the computer’s hard disk?
It would take too long. The disk drive is much slower than the cache or RAM, The register is the
fastest memory.

7. Why does the CPU need the memory?

To store the instruction that it uses, to store data temporarily while calculations take place.

8. Use “then” to connect the two logic statements, then represented by the truth table

• Crossed the finish line first.

• Won the race.

Crossed the finish line first Won the race

TRUE
FALSE

Answer:

If crossed the finish line first then won the race.

Crossed the finish line first Won the race

TRUE TRUE
FALSE FALSE

9. Why Do we use the truth table to describe a logic problem?

A truth table make it easier to read and understand the logic statement

10. Why can we use Boolean logic with computer processor?

Boolean logic value true/false can be represented with computer processor by the value 1/0 in binary