CPUs and architecture

What is the role of the ALU (arithmetic logic unit) in a CPU?

  1. AStoring instructions and data long term
  2. BDisplaying images on the screen
  3. CPerforming calculations such as addition and logical operations
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Answer: C. Performing calculations such as addition and logical operations

The ALU (arithmetic logic unit) is the circuit that performs arithmetic operations such as addition and subtraction and logical operations such as AND, OR and comparison. Following the decoded instruction, it operates on data received from registers and returns the result.

  • A. Long-term storage is the role of storage devices.
  • B. Displaying images is the role of the GPU and display circuitry.
  • C. Correct. It performs arithmetic and logical operations.
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More CPUs and architecture questions

  1. What does a CPU's program counter (PC) hold?
  2. Which correctly describes the write-back policy for caches?
  3. Which correctly describes a set-associative cache?
  4. What is the typical size of a cache line (cache block) in many current CPUs?
  5. In a pipeline, when the next instruction immediately uses the result of the previous one (a data hazard), which technique passes the result directly to the next instruction without waiting for it to be written to the register?