Describe the purpose of the basic computer architecture components and how they are linked together:

Processor

• Control Unit – controls the sequencing of fetching, decoding and executing instructions.
• Arithmetic Logic Unit – performs all calculations and logical operations
• Registers – temporary memory locations within the processor.

 

Memory locations with unique addresses

• All memory locations within RAM is given a unique address so that the computer can read and write data to that location correctly.

Buses

• Buses are used to move data around as binary inside the computer system
• Address Bus – this transfers the memory location that is going to read from or written to.
• Data Bus – this transfers the data between the processor and memory, and vice-versa.

 

Explain the need for interpreters and compilers to translate high-level program code to binary.

• Computers can only understand binary and therefore all instructions must be translated into binary before they can be executed.
• Interpreter – translates one program line into machine code and executes immediately. Machine code is not retained, so must be translated each time, the Interpreter must therefore be resident in memory.
  • Good for testing, errors are highlighted straight away.
• Compiler – All lines are translate to machine code, this machine code version is then saved and can be executed. Machine code can be run again, and again without further translation.
  • Used for programs that are ready for release.