Computer organization

Computer Organization

How does a computer actually work? How do they transform what you type into a program that shows cute cat pictures?

Big ideas in computer organization

Information layer

• Binary
• ASCII
• Data representation

Hardware layer

• Logic gates and circuits
• Computing components

Computer architecture

• Architecture of the central processing unit (CPU)
• Functions of the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
• Control unit (CU)
• Registers within the CPU
• Primary memory
• Cache memory
• The machine instruction cycle

Secondary memory

• Persistent storage

Operating systems and application systems

• Operating system
• Application software
• Common features of applications

Binary representation

• Bits, bytes, binary, denary/decimal, hexadecimal
• How is data is represented in the computer?

Simple logic gates

• Gates and Circuits
• Boolean operators
• Truth tables
• Logic diagram