CPU Basics and Organization
From our studies in Chapter 2 (data representation) we know that a computer
must manipulate binary-coded data. We also know from Chapter 3 that memory is
used to store both data and program instructions (also in binary). Somehow, the
program must be executed and the data must be processed correctly. The central
processing unit (CPU) is responsible for fetching program instructions, decoding
each instruction that is fetched, and performing the indicated sequence of operations
on the correct data. To understand how computers work, you must first
become familiar with their various components and the interaction among these
components. To introduce the simple architecture in the next section, we first