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ASSIGNMENT COVER

REGION: MATABELELAND SOUTH

PROGRAM: BACHELOR OF ARTS AND MEDIA STUDIES INTAKE: 14

FULL NAME OF STUDENT: NQOBILE MPOFU PIN: P1139827C


MAILING ADDRESS: 1253 DULIBAVHADZIMO, BEITBRIDGE

CONTACT TELEPHONE/CELL: 0774010725 ID. NO.: 02-050604R 02

COURSE NAME: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS COURSE CODE: BEDM 207

ASSIGNMENT NO. e.g. 1 or 2: 2 DUE DATE: 07/10/2018

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: Discuss why the CPU (Central Processing Unit) is referred to as the
brain and the memory or as the heart of a computer.

MARKER’S COMMENTS: ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

OVERALL MARK: _____________ MARKER’S NAME: ________________________

MARKER’S SIGNATURE:_______________________________ DATE: ___________


When one takes a glance at a computer , and seeing the box like structures and the other part that

looks like an outdated television set of way back in the times when it was first invented.The parts

that are visible and touchable are said to be the boxes that contain the central processing unit and

the other computer parts like the keyboard and the mouse .The central processing unit which is

usually abbreviated CPU is the most important part of a computer but not the computer itself

,just the brains of the computer operation. As it is said to be the brain or the heart ,one might

think it is a very big part like the keyboard or the monitor but a small chip that sits at the top of

the main circuit board or what is called the motherboard of a computer .The Central Processing

Unit (CPU) is the internal component of a computer which deals with processing of input data

before it is processed to be information that can be usable.

According to Britannica by definition, the central processing unit is a principal part of any digit

computer system, generally composed of the main memory, control unit and of the main

memory, control, and arithmetic-logic unit. It constitute the physical heart of the entire computer

system, it is linked to various peripheral equipment, including input/output devices and auxiliary

storages. According to Kangai V .C( Module BEDM 207) The central processing unit is defined

as “a simple processor that actually operates on data , performs any calculations and controls all

the other components .”This means that the other parts of the computer are controlled by the

central processing unit and as the brain controls the whole body so does the central processing

unit wit the computer. The Wikipedia, online encyclopaedia defines the central processing unit

as “the electronic circuitry within a computer that carries out the instructions of a computer

program by performing the basic arithmetic , logical ,control and input output operations

specified by the instructions.”Meaning all instructions of a computer are found at the central

processing unit just as the human brain .Lastly , the Cambridge dictionary defines the central
processing unit as “the part of a computer that performs operations on the information that is put

into it.”Just as the brain or the heart ,it the central processing unit does all the operations

regarding the processing of information.

One would make a claim that they CPU is the brain and the memory of the computer because the

Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the part of the computer that interprets and executes the

commands from the computer hardware and software. In modern day the CPU is referred to as a

microprocessor. This is a single integrated circuit which is at the centre of the most Personal

Computers (PCs). The CPU is a chip containing millions of tiny transistors. It is the CPU’s job to

perform the calculations necessary to make the computer works; the transistors in the CPU

manipulate the data.

Another critical component in computers is memory. The most important kinds of memory are

Read-Only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory (RAM). Without computer memory,

every calculations/ intellectual tasks done by the computer will be stateless which means that

they would be no way to preserve information from one moment to the next and every process

would start on a clean state. The ROM is a memory used to store information that needs to be

permanent. It is often used to contain, for example, configuration data for computer system. This

chip does not be altered and can no longer be read from. On the other hand, the RAM is a

memory chip where data is temporarily stored when applications are running and when the CPU

is making its calculations. This memory can be written to and read from. Since its contents are
lost when power to the computer is turned off, it is often referred to as volatile or temporary

memory.

In the computer motherboard, there is another memory called Basic Input/ Output System

(BIOS). It is a chip which works closely with the CPU. Because we consider the microprocessor

as the brain of the computer, the BIOS should be referred to the spin. Its the job of the BIOS to

handle interaction between the software running on a computer and the machine’s hardware

components. The motherboard, CPU, ROM, RAM and BIOS handle most of the heavy uplifting

for computer processes. They are in charge o allocating resources to applications so that they run

smoothly. They also accept input from devices like keyboards, mice and other computer

accessories.

To show the uniqueness of the computer brain (CPU), the computer uses its language called the

binary system in interpreting commands and inputs. The computer uses programming language

called the binary system which consists of a set of two numbers that is 0 and 1. A programming

language is a formal language which comprises a set of instructions used to produce various

kinds of output. Programming languages are used to create programs that implements specific

algorithms. Each letter has a unique binary code which is interpreted to logical language which

only a computer central processing unit can know.


The CPU is made up of a control unit, which controls the input and output devices, an arithmetic

and logic unit (ALU), which carries out calculations and makes logical decisions, and the

immediate access store (RAM). The Control Unit of the microprocessor controls communication

within the ALU and Memory Unit. The Control Unit decides which circuit is to be activated.

The CPU ,central processing unit does the normal mathematics for example , it adds ,subtracts ,

multiplies and divides at an enormous speed .The complicated mathematical functions have long

chains of simple maths and also complex maths like trigonometry , logarithms and other tough

maths, for example , in a fraction of a second the central processing unit can calculate many

spreadsheet cells .Kangai .V (2012,12) agrees by saying the central processing unit “performs

most of the calculations which enables a computer to function and is sometimes referred to as the

brain of the computer.”

The central processing unit just like the human brain makes logical decisions .It can do simple

comparisons like determining the grater than /less than and equal condition. It can also decide on

which action to take based on the outcome of each comparison . This can make possible for the

manager to to rely on a program to calculate the remuneration of employees inclusive of all the

logistic of the particular employer without doubt. Hand , S( 2010) states that “it selects and

retrieves instructions from the main memory in proper sequence and interprets them so as to

activate the other functional elements of the system at the appropriate moment to perform their

respective operations.”The CPU can also compare data in the form of a text thus permitting

programs to be layed out in order.

The central processing unit (CPU) is also able to move data from one place of the computer

memory to another,for example ,the central processing unit is able to read information from a
different file that is situated on the computer hard drive and perform calculations on the data at

the same time writing it to other files. When one types on the keyboard or clicks on a mouse ,the

central processing unit manages to move the data from the input devices and place it in the

computer memory, for example when we cut and paste ,it involves data movement from the

different parts of a document also when you click on a web page ,the central processing unit

sends data to from the internet at the same instance reading the data for the new page from the

site.

As the human brain, the central processing unit has the ability to do more than one function at a

time. It can change among the many programs that that run in a computer, for example it has the

ability to monitor your calendar and remind you of important dates and appointments .One part

can wait for a loading program whilst at the same time checking the page for viruses and

malware. This ability to multitask the central processing unit CPU uses its full potential as it will

be performing all the activities at once even if it only processes little by little one task then

another

In conclusion , the central processing unit CPU is both the heat and brains of a computer because

if one looks close ,they realize that every single operation done is processed in the CPU , just as

in the human brain .The CPU is a device that controls everything just like the heart or brain with

the ability of mathematics as the brain .In most instances ,the CPU, processes data very fast jus

as the brain does, The brain processes and stores information , so does the CPU because in a

computer there are a mix of things and it controls and co ordinates all the parts of the computer

in the same way controlling and guiding the flow and manipulation of data and works with what

it is fed just like the brain .


REFERENCES

1. Braddley . R( 1995) Understanding computer science (3rdedition) Wellington street

,Great Britain ;Stanely Thomas Elen Borough House .

2. Haag .Cummings and Mcberry (2003) Management information systems for the

information age.

3. Shelly . B Cashman T (2001)Discovering computers One main street ,Massachuserts .

USA

4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org

5. http://www.britannica.com.

6. Kangai .V Caleb (2016) Introduction to computers ,Mount Pleasant ,Harare

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