Chapter 2 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Intro to System Architecture
computer - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅any device that can accept numeric inputs, perform computational
functions, and communicate results1
system architecture - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅describes the structure, interaction and technology of
computer system components
instruction - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a signal or command to a processor to perform on of its functions
processor - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a device capable of performing data manipulation and
transformation operations
mechanical clock - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅mechanical implementation driven by spring and pendulum;
an adding machine
general-purpose processor - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅can execute many different instructions in many
different sequences or combinations
special-purpose processor - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅designed to perform only one specific task
algorithm - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a program in which different sets of instructions are applied to
different data input values
condition - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a comparison or other logical operation that produces a Boolean
result
what does a computer store? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅intermediate processing results, data, and
programs
, four main functions of a computer - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅processing, storage, internal
communication, and external communication
CPU - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅general purpose processor that executes all instructions and controls all
data movement in a computer system
primary storage - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅holds instructions and data for currently running programs
secondary storage - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅holds programs that aren't currently running as well as
groups of data items that are too large to fit in primary storage
RAM - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅volatile memory; enables CPU to rapidly read from or write to specific
memory locations
register - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅internal storage locations in a CPU each capable of holding a single
instruction or data item
bits - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅represents one digit of a binary number (0 or 1)
system bus - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅the internal communication channel connecting all hardware
devices
control unit - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅controls movement of data to and from CPU registers and other
hardware components; access program instructions and issue appropriate commands to the ALU
arithmetic logic unit (ALU) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅contains electrical circuits that carry out each
instruction
workstation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅nonportable computer system designed to meet a single users
information-processing needs; more powerful than typical desktop