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computer architecture

Module by: Anh Duong

Summary: computer architecture

Computer Hardware

A computer may be divided into six logical units.

Input Unit

  • Obtain information from input devices: keyboards and mouse devices.
  • Place the information at the disposal of the other units to be processed.

Output Unit

  • Take information that has been processed.
  • Place it on output devices: displayed on screens, printed on paper.

Memory Unit

  • RAM (random access memory) is volatile, stores program and data.
  • ROM (read only memory) is non-volatile, contains fundamental instructions.

Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)

  • Perform all the arithmetic and logic operations: addition, subtraction, comparison, etc..

CPU

  • Tell the input unit when information should be read into the memory unit.
  • Tell the ALU when information from the memory should be used in calculations.
  • Tell the output unit when to send information from the memory unit to certain output devices.

Secondary Storage.

  • Permanent storage areas for programs and data: magnetic tapes, magnetic hard disks, floppy disk, CD ROM

Computer Software

  • A computer program: set of instructions used to operate a computer to produce a specific result.
  • Computer programming: writing computer programs.
  • Programming languages: languages used to create computer programs.

Machine Languages

Example: 0101010 000000000001 000000000010

  • The lowest level of computer languages.
  • Programs consist of entirely of 1s and 0s.
  • Programs can control directly to the computer’s hardware.
  • Machine language instructions consist of two parts:
    • Instruction part (opcode) is the leftmost group of bits and tells the computer the operation to be performed.
    • Address part specifies the memory address of the data to be used in the instruction.

Assembly Languages

Example:

LOAD BASEPAY

ADD OVERPAY

STORE GROSSPAY

  • Perform the same tasks as machine languages, but use symbolic names for opcodes and operands.
  • An assembly language program must be translated into a machine language program.

Translation program (assembler)Machine languageprogramAssembly languageprogram

  • Machine languages and assembly languages are called low-level languages since they are closest to computer hardware.

High-level Programming Languages

  • Create computer programs using instructions that much easier to understand: English-like included with mathematical notations.
  • Programs written in high-level languages must be translated into a low level language using a program called a compiler.
  • Each line in a high-level language program is called a statement.

Ex: Result = (First + Second)*Third.

Application and System Software

  • Application software: perform particular tasks required by the users.
  • System software: must be available to any computer system to operate. The most important system software is the operating system (MS-DOS, UNIX, MS WINDOWS, MS WINDOWS NT)
  • Multitasking systems: operating systems allow user to run multiple programs. graphics1.png

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