The word length of a computer is usually an integer multiple of 8. When a computer is storing, transmitting or operating, a set of binary codes as a unit is called a word, and the number of binary bits in a word is called the word length. The computer word length refers to the number of binary digits that the CPU can process in parallel at one time. The word length is always an integer multiple of 8. Usually the word length of the PC is 16 bits (early), 32 bits, and 64 bits.
The operating environment of this tutorial: Windows 7 system, Dell G3 computer.
Computers use binary encoding to represent numbers, characters, instructions and other control information. When a computer is storing, transmitting or operating, a set of binary codes as a unit is called a word, and the number of binary bits in a word is called the word length.
The word length is one of the main technical indicators of the CPU. It refers to the number of binary digits that the CPU can process in parallel at one time. The word length is always an integer multiple of 8. Usually the word length of the PC is 16 bits (in the early days ), 32-bit, 64-bit.
Word length has a great relationship with the functions and uses of the computer and is an important technical indicator of the computer. The word length directly reflects the calculation accuracy of a computer. In order to adapt to different requirements and coordinate the relationship between calculation accuracy and hardware cost, most computers support variable word length operations, that is, half word length and full word length can be realized in the machine. (or single word length) and double word length operations. All other indicators being equal, the larger the word length, the faster the computer can process data.
Detailed description
Word
In a computer, a string of numbers is processed or calculated as a whole , is called a computer word, or word for short. Words are usually divided into bytes (each byte is typically 8 bits). In memory, each cell typically stores one word, so each word is addressable. The length of a word is expressed in bits.
In computer arithmetic units and controllers, data is usually transmitted in units of words. Words appearing in different addresses have different meanings. For example, the word sent to the controller is an instruction, and the word sent to the arithmetic unit is a number.
Word length
The word length refers to the number of bits contained in each word of the computer. Depending on the computer, word lengths are either fixed or variable. Fixed word length means that the word length is fixed no matter what; variable word length means that the length is variable within a certain range.
Bytes
Bytes refer to a small group of adjacent binary digits. Usually 8 bits as a byte. It is a small unit that constitutes information and participates in operations as a whole. It is smaller than a word and is the unit that constitutes a word. In microcomputers, the storage capacity of the memory is usually expressed in bytes.
Introduction to double word length
Double word length refers to the number of digits involved in the computer's internal operations. It determines the number of bits in the computer's internal registers, ALU and data bus, and directly affects the hardware scale and cost of the machine. Double word length directly reflects the calculation accuracy of a computer. In order to adapt to different requirements and coordinate the relationship between calculation accuracy and hardware cost, most computers support variable word length operations, that is, half word length, full word length can be realized in the machine. Word length (or single word length) and double word length operations.
Word length and data bus width
The word length is determined by the number (width) of the data bus lines of the microprocessor's external data path.The width of the data bus is an important indicator that determines computer performance. Microcomputer data buses are mostly 32-bit or 64-bit.
Data Bus: Transfers data that needs to be processed or stored back and forth between the CPU and RAM.
The data bus is a bidirectional three-state bus, that is, it can transmit data from the CPU to other components such as memory or I/O interfaces, and can also transmit data from other components to the CPU. The number of bits in the data bus is an important indicator of a microcomputer and is usually consistent with the word length of the microprocessor. For example, the word length of the Intel 8086 microprocessor is 16 bits, and its data bus width is also 16 bits. It should be pointed out that the meaning of data is broad. It can be real data, instruction code or status information, and sometimes even control information. Therefore, in actual work, what is transmitted on the data bus is not necessarily Just real data.
Common data buses are ISA, EISA, VESA, PCI, etc.
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