Computer Science / Unit 5 CS 0263 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Single-Cycle Processor
Captions available
The idea
The earliest processor design ran as one bulky circuit on one clock — and since every instruction shared the cycle, the clock had to stretch to the slowest instruction in the set.
In practice
A checkout lane timed to its slowest possible customer serves everyone at that pace.
Where people slip
Simplicity paid rent in speed and power.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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