Instruction Set

The instruction set, also called instruction set architecture (ISA),

is a part of the computer that pertains to programming, which is
basically machine language. The instruction set provides commands to
the processor, to tell it what it needs to do. The instruction set consists
of multiple pieces, including addressing modes, instructions, native
data types, registers, memory architecture, interrupt, and exception
handling, and external I/O.
An example of an instruction set is the x86 instruction set, which is common
to find on computers today. Different computer processors can use almost
the same instruction set, while still having very different internal design.
Both the Intel Pentium and AMD Athlon processors use nearly the same x86
instruction set. An instruction set can be built into the hardware of the
processor, or it can be emulated in software, using an interpreter. The
hardware design is more efficient and faster for running programs than the
emulated software version.
Examples of instruction set
ADD - Add two numbers together.
COMPARE - Compare numbers.
IN - Input information from a device, e.g. keyboard.
JUMP - Jump to designated RAM address.
JUMP IF - Conditional statement that jumps to a designated RAM
address.
LOAD - Load information from RAM to the CPU.
OUT - Output information to device, e.g. monitor.
STORE - Store information to RAM.

A microprocessor is a computer processor that incorporates the functions of a computer's central

processing unit (CPU) on a singleintegrated circuit (IC),[1] or at most a few integrated circuits.[2] The
microprocessor is a multipurpose, programmable device that acceptsdigital data as input, processes
it according to instructions stored in its memory, and provides results as output. It is an example
ofsequential digital logic, as it has internal memory. Microprocessors operate on numbers and
symbols represented in the binary numeral system.

The integration of a whole CPU onto a single chip or on a few chips greatly reduced the cost of
processing power. The integrated circuit processor was produced in large numbers by highly
automated processes, so unit cost was low. Single-chip processors increase reliability as there are
many fewer electrical connections to fail. As microprocessor designs get faster, the cost of
manufacturing a chip (with smaller components built on a semiconductor chip the same size)
generally stays the same.

Before microprocessors, small computers had been implemented using racks of circuit boards with
many medium- and small-scaleintegrated circuits. Microprocessors integrated this into one or a
few large-scale ICs. Continued increases in microprocessor capacity have since rendered other
forms of computers almost completely obsolete (see history of computing hardware), with one or
more microprocessors used in everything from the smallest embedded systems and handheld
devices to the largest mainframes and supercomputers.