A ______ is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program.

A ______ is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program.

• A. Central Processing Unit
• B. Memory
• C. Input Output Controller
• D. Power Supply

Answer: (A)

The processor is the part of a computer that actually runs the program’s instructions. It performs the fetch-decode-execute cycle: it fetches an instruction from memory, decodes what the instruction means, and then executes it by performing arithmetic or logical operations, moving data, or altering the flow of the program. This execution happens inside the CPU using components like the arithmetic-logic unit for calculations, registers for fast temporary storage, and the control unit to coordinate steps. Memory holds the instructions and data the CPU works on, but it doesn’t execute them itself. An I/O controller manages communication with peripherals, and the power supply provides the energy to keep everything running. Since the question is about the component that executes the program’s instructions, it’s the central processing unit.

The processor is the part of a computer that actually runs the program’s instructions. It performs the fetch-decode-execute cycle: it fetches an instruction from memory, decodes what the instruction means, and then executes it by performing arithmetic or logical operations, moving data, or altering the flow of the program. This execution happens inside the CPU using components like the arithmetic-logic unit for calculations, registers for fast temporary storage, and the control unit to coordinate steps. Memory holds the instructions and data the CPU works on, but it doesn’t execute them itself. An I/O controller manages communication with peripherals, and the power supply provides the energy to keep everything running. Since the question is about the component that executes the program’s instructions, it’s the central processing unit.