Commum CPU components and their functions

what are the 4 main components of the CPU?

control unit (CU), arithmetic logic unit (ALU), registers and cache

what are the functions of the control unit (CU)

1. it fetches, decodes and executes instructions

2. it issues control signals that control hardware

3. it moves data around the system

what are two main functions of the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

1. it performs arithmetic and logical operations. The ALU is where calculations are done and where decisions are made

2. It acts as a gateway between primary memory and secondary storage. Data transferred between them passes through the ALU.

what is a register and what does it do?

A very fast memory location in the CPU and they store data required for an instruction or the result of executing an instruction