
Fundamentals of Computers I-13
comprises four components, namely, central processing unit (CPU), input unit, output unit and storage
(or memory) unit. The block diagram of a digital computer is shown in Figure 1.1.
CPU
CPU, also known as ‘processor’, is the brain of the computer system that processes data (input) and
converts it into meaningful information (output). It is a highly complex, extensive set of electronic
circuitry, which executes stored program instructions. A CPU controls all internal and external devices,
performs arithmetic and logic operations, and operates only on binary data, that is, data composed of
1s and 0s. ...