What is the Processor?
The Central Processing Unit (CPU), also known as the processor, is the brain of the computer system. It processes data (input) and converts it into meaningful information (output). The CPU works with data in discrete form, that is, either 1 or 0. It counts, lists, compares and rearranges the binary digits of data in accordance with the detailed program instructions stored within memory. Eventually, the results of these operations are translated into characters, numbers and symbols that can be understood by the user.
The speed of a processor is measured in Hertz, named after Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, a German physicist. Hertz is the unit of frequency, that is, cycles per second, with multiples such as Megahertz (MHz) and Gigahertz (GHz).
Basic Functions of a CPU
- Controls the transmission of data from input devices to memory.
- Processes the data held in memory.
- Controls the transmission of information from memory to an output device or storage.
