CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

The Computer and it’s Components

CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

What is Computer?
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

The Computer and it’s Components

 A computer is a general-purpose device

that can be programmed to carry out a set of
arithmetic or logical operations.

 Since a sequence of operations can be

readily changed, the computer can solve
more than one kind of problem
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

The Computer and it’s Components

Conventionally, a computer consists of at least one

processing element, typically a central processing unit (CPU)
and some form of memory.
The processing element carries out arithmetic and logic
operations, and a sequencing and control unit that can
change the order of operations based on stored information.
Peripheral devices allow information to be retrieved
from an external source, and the result of operations saved
and retrieved.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

The Computer and it’s Components

The first electronic digital computers were

developed between 1940 and 1945. Originally, they
were the size of a large room, consuming as much
power as several hundred modern personal
computers (PCs). In this era mechanical analog
computers were used for military applications
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

The Computer and it’s Components

 Modern computers based on integrated circuits are millions to
billions of times more capable than the early machines and
occupy a fraction of the space.
 Simple computers are small enough to fit into mobile devices,
and mobile computers can be powered by small batteries.
 Personal computers in their various forms are icons of the
Information Age and are what most people think of as
―computers.
 However, the embedded computers found in many devices
from MP3 players to fighter aircraft and from toys to industrial
robots are the most numerous.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

What are the Components of a

Computer?
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

A general-purpose computer has four main
components:
1. the arithmetic logic unit (ALU),
2. the control unit,
3. the memory,
4. and the input and output devices (collectively
termed I/O).
These parts are interconnected by buses, often
made of groups of wires
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

Inside each of these parts are thousands to
trillions of small electrical circuits which can be
turned off or on by means of an electronic switch.
Each circuit represents a bit (binary digit) of
information so that when the circuit is on it

represents a 1, and when off it represents a

0 (in positive logic representation). The
circuits are arranged in logic gates so that
one or more of the circuits may control the
state of one or more of the other circuits.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)

The control unit, ALU, registers, and basic I/O (and

often other hardware closely linked with these) are
collectively known as a central processing unit (CPU).
Early CPUs were composed of many separate
components but since the mid-1970s CPUs have typically
been constructed on a single integrated circuit called a
microprocessor.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.1 CONTROL UNIT
 Control Unit are often called a control system or
central controller, it manages the computer's various
components; it reads and interprets (decodes) the
program instructions, transforming them into a series
of control signals which activate other parts of the
computer. Control systems in advanced computers
may change the order of some instructions so as to
improve performance.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.1 CONTROL UNIT
The control system's function is as follows:
1. Read the code for the next instruction from the cell indicated by the program
counter.
2. Decode the numerical code for the instruction into a set of commands or signals for
each of the other systems.
3. Increment the program counter so it points to the next instruction.
4. Read whatever data the instruction requires from cells in memory (or perhaps from
an input device). The location of this required data is typically stored within the
instruction code.
5. Provide the necessary data to an ALU or register.
6. If the instruction requires an ALU or specialized hardware to complete, instruct the
hardware to perform the requested operation.
7. Write the result from the ALU back to a memory location or to a register or perhaps
an output device.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.2 Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
The ALU is capable of performing
two classes of operations: arithmetic
and logic. The set of arithmetic
operations that a particular ALU
supports may be limited to addition and
subtraction, or might include
multiplication, division, trigonometry functions such as sine, cosine, etc.,
and square roots. Some can only operate on whole numbers (integers)
whilst others use floating point to represent real numbers, albeit with
limited precision.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.2 Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) is
a fundamental component of the CPU,
executing arithmetic and logical
operations crucial for computer
functionality. It works in tandem with
the Control Unit, which coordinates CPU
activities. The ALU's design impacts
computational speed and efficiency,
with considerations for performance,
power efficiency, and space on the
silicon chip.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

The Role of the Arithmetic Logic

Unit in Computing
The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) is a critical
component within the Central Processing Unit
(CPU) of a computer, dedicated to performing a
variety of operations that are essential to
computer functionality. It executes arithmetic
operations such as addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division, as well as logical operations including AND, OR, NOT, and XOR.
The ALU receives operands from the CPU registers and processes them based on the
instructions provided by the Control Unit (CU). The results are then stored back in the
registers or memory for subsequent use. Additionally, the ALU is capable of performing
comparison operations, which are vital for control flow in programs, such as loops and
conditional statements.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.2 Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

An ALU may also compare numbers and return Boolean

truth values (true or false) depending on whether one is
equal to, greater than or less than the other (―is 64 greater
than 65?‖).

Logic operations involve Boolean logic: AND, OR, XOR

and NOT. These can be useful for creating complicated
conditional statements and processing Boolean logic.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.2 Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

Superscalar computers may contain multiple ALUs,

allowing them to process several instructions simultaneously.
Graphics processors and computers with SIMD and
MIMD features often contain ALUs that can perform
arithmetic on vectors and matrices
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.3 Memory

A computer's memory can be viewed as a list of cells

into which numbers can be placed or read. Each cell has a
numbered ―address and can store a single number. The
computer can be instructed to ―put the number 123 into the
cell numbered 1357 or to ―add the number that is in cell
1357 to the number that is in cell 2468 and put the answer
into cell 1595
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.3 Memory
The CPU contains a special set of memory cells called registers
that can be read and written to much more rapidly than the main
memory area. There are typically between two and one hundred
registers depending on the type of CPU.
Registers are used for the most frequently needed data items to
avoid having to access main memory every time data is needed. As
data is constantly being worked on, reducing the need to access main
memory (which is often slow compared to the ALU and control units)
greatly increases the computer's speed.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.3 Memory

Computer main memory comes in two principal varieties:

1. Random-Access Memory or RAM

2. Read-Only Memory or ROM

CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.3 Memory

 RAM can be read and written anytime the CPU

commands it, but ROM is preloaded with data and
software that never changes; therefore, the CPU can
only read from it.

 ROM is typically used to store the computer's initial

start-up instructions.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.3 Memory
In general:
 the contents of RAM are erased when the power to the computer is turned off, but
ROM retains its data indefinitely.
 In a PC, the ROM contains a specialized program called the BIOS that orchestrates
loading the computer's operating system from the hard disk drive into RAM
whenever the computer is turned on or reset.
 In embedded computers, which frequently do not have disk drives, all of the
required software may be stored in ROM.
 Software stored in ROM is often called firmware, because it is notionally more like
hardware than software.
 Flash memory blurs the distinction between ROM and RAM, as it retains its data
when turned off but is also rewritable. It is typically much slower than
conventional ROM and RAM however, so its use is restricted to applications where
high speed is unnecessary.
CS 106 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION BOBET REYES LANTO 1st SEMESTER CY 2024-2025

1.1.1 Components of Computer

1.1.1.4 Input / Output (I/O)
 I/O is the means by which a computer exchanges information
with the outside world.
 Devices that provide input or output to the computer are called
peripherals.
 On a typical personal computer, peripherals include input devices
like the keyboard and mouse, and output devices such as the
display and printer.
 Hard disk drives, floppy disk drives and optical disc drives serve
as both input and output devices. Computer networking is
another form of I/O.