A computer is a device that can be instructed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. The ability to store and retrieve large amounts of data quickly makes computers especially useful for performing calculations, handling communications, and organizing and managing information.

Computers are composed of electronic components, and use electric current to perform operations. The three basic components of a computer are the central processing unit (CPU), the memory, and the input/output (I/O) devices.

The CPU is the part of the computer that carries out the instructions you give it. It is a small, square chip that …