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Computer Organisation

This document provides an overview of computer organization topics for an IB Computer Science course. It defines key components of the central processing unit (CPU) including the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) which performs calculations, and the control unit (CU) which directs data flow and ALU operations. It describes the functions of registers like the memory address register (MAR) which contains memory addresses, and the memory data register (MDR) which holds data read from or written to memory. The document also outlines the roles of primary memory, secondary storage, operating systems, and application software.

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Ritu Tulsian
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57 views18 pages

Computer Organisation

This document provides an overview of computer organization topics for an IB Computer Science course. It defines key components of the central processing unit (CPU) including the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) which performs calculations, and the control unit (CU) which directs data flow and ALU operations. It describes the functions of registers like the memory address register (MAR) which contains memory addresses, and the memory data register (MDR) which holds data read from or written to memory. The document also outlines the roles of primary memory, secondary storage, operating systems, and application software.

Uploaded by

Ritu Tulsian
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Computer

Organisation
IB Computer Science

Content developed by
Dartford Grammar School
Computer Science Department
HL Topics 1-7, D1-4

1: System design 2: Computer 3: Networks 4: Computational


Organisation thinking

5: Abstract data 6: Resource 7: Control D: OOP


structures management

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


1: System design

HL & SL 2 Overview 2: Computer


Organisation

Computer architecture
2.1.1 Outline the architecture of the central processing unit (CPU) and the functions of the 3: Networks
arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and the control unit (CU) and the registers within the CPU
2.1.2 Describe primary memory. 2 Distinguish between random access memory (RAM) and read-
only memory (ROM), and their use in primary memory 4: Computational
2.1.3 Explain the use of cache memory thinking
2.1.4 Explain the machine instruction cycle
Secondary memory
2.1.5 Identify the need for persistent storage
5: Abstract data
structures
Operating systems and application systems
2.1.6 Describe the main functions of an operating system
2.1.7 Outline the use of a range of application software 6: Resource
2.1.8 Identify common features of applications management
Binary representation
2.1.9 Define the terms: bit, byte, binary, denary/decimal, hexadecimal
2.1.10 Outline the way in which data is represented in the computer 7: Control
Simple logic gates
2.1.11 Define the Boolean operators: AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR and XOR
2.1.12 Construct truth tables using the above operators
D: OOP
2.1.13 Construct a logic diagram using AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR and XOR gates

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Topic 2.1.1
Outline the architecture of the central
processing unit (CPU) and the
functions of the arithmetic logic unit
(ALU) and the control unit (CU) and the
registers within the CPU.

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Key abbreviations
• CPU = Central Processing Unit
• ALU = Arithmetic Logic Unit
• CU = Control Unit
• MAR = Memory Address Register
• MDR = Memory Data Register

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


CPU (Central Processing Unit)
Video (YouTube): How are CPUs made

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


CPU (Central Processing Unit)
The key component of a computer system,
which contains the circuitry necessary to fetch,
decode and execute program instructions from
and to main memory (RAM).

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Inside a CPU

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Simplified model: CPU, RAM

Address Bus

ALU MAR

Data Bus
RAM
CPU
Data Bus
MDR Cache (Primary
Memory)
Other Control Bus
registers CU

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Simplified model: CPU, I/O devices, Storage

CPU RAM
(Primary
I/O controller Memory)

Output Input
device device
Storage device

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Exam note!
Students must be able to reproduce a block diagram
showing the relationship between the elements of the
CPU, input/output and storage.
The only registers that need to be indicated are the
MDR and MAR.

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Function of the ALU
• Part of the CPU that does all the arithmetic (+/-) and logical
(AND/OR) calculations
• Sometimes an ALU is referred to a ‘core’, hence computers
with dual core technology have two ALUs to process two
calculations simultaneously.

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Two functions of the CU
It handles the loading of new commands into
the CPU and the decoding of these commands.
Also, it directs the data flow and the operation
of the ALU.

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Programs are loaded from storage, into
memory (RAM) and executed one instruction
at a time by the CPU

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


CPU needs it’s own ‘memory’
• Registers: they are small, very fast circuits that store
intermediate values from calculations or
instructions inside the CPU.
• There are many registers, but the three most
important ones are:
– MAR
– MDR
– Accumulator*
*Not assessed in this course

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


MAR (Memory Address Register)
• MAR is connected to the address bus.
• MAR is contains a memory address.
• MAR’s sole function contain the RAM address of the
instruction the CPU wants next.

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


MDR (Memory Data Register)
• MDR is connected to the data bus.
• MDR holds data that will be written to the RAM or that was
read from RAM.
• Relationship between MAR & MDR: The MAR gives the
address the data of the MDR will be read from or written to.

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department


Busses
Busses are the connecting wires that
connect the CPU to other devices,
carrying instructions to/from
components.
They are normally built into the
motherboard.
The three most important busses are:
• Data bus (links RAM to CPU via MDR)
• Control bus (links RAM to CPU via CU)
• Memory bus (links RAM to CPU via MAR)

Content developed by Dartford Grammar School Computer Science Department

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