CSNewbs Key Stage 3 GCSE CTech IT Programming

Exam
Exam Board:
Board:
OCR
OCR
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Specification:
1.1b:
1.1b: Registers
Registers & The
The F-E
F-E Cycle
J277
J277

The Fetch - Execute (F - E) cycle is performed by the CPU millions of times every second.

This cycle is how the CPU processes data and instructions for each program or service that requires its attention.

Important Registers
A register is a small storage space for temporary data in the CPU.

Each register has a specific role. There are three essential registers used in the F-E cycle:

Program Counter (PC) Memory Address Register (MAR) Memory Data Register (MDR)

A register that tracks the RAM address A register that tracks the RAM address of The MDR stores the instruction that has
of the next instruction to be fetched. the instruction that is to be fetched. been transferred from RAM to the CPU.

Current Instruction Register (CIR) Accumulator (ACC)

A register that stores the instruction that The ACC stores the result of
has been fetched from RAM, and is mathematical or logical calculations.
about to be decoded or executed.

Fetch - Execute Cycle

The essential idea of the F-E cycle is that instructions are fetched from RAM, to be decoded (understood) and executed (processed) by the CPU.

1. 2. 3.
The Program Counter (PC) register The PC register is increased by 1.
The CPU checks the address in
displays the address in RAM of the
RAM which matches the
next instruction to be processed. This prepares the CPU for the next
address held in the MAR.
instruction to be fetched.

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 This value is copied into the Memory
Address Register (MAR).

4
005
0054 0055

4. 5. 6.
The instruction in RAM is The instruction in the MDR is copied The instruction in the CIR is decoded
transferred to the Memory Data into the Current Instruction Register (understood) and executed (processed).
Register (MDR). (CIR).
Any result of an execution is stored in
the Accumulator (ACC) register.

MDR MDR CIR

CIR ACC

7.
The cycle repeats by returning to the
first step and checking the program
counter for the address of the next
instruction.

Questo's Questions

1.1b - Registers & The F-E Cycle:

1. What is the purpose of the registers? [1]

2. Describe the purpose of each register:

a. The Program Counter (PC) [2]
b. The Memory Address Register (MAR) [2]
c. The Memory Data Register (MDR) [2]
d. The Current Instruction Register (CIR) [2]
e. The Accumulator (ACC) [2]

3. Draw a diagram with icons and words to show the steps of the Fetch - Execute
cycle. [7]

1.1a - The CPU Theory Topics 1.2 - CPU Performance

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