Arithmetic logic unit

A symbolic representation of an ALU.The arrows represent inputs and outputs.

The alu is a component in a computer that does the actal processing in a computer, it has an opcode input and inputs for A and B. Its like the brains of the computer. It can add two numbers or subtract two numbers. It can also do bitwise operations. Like XOR, NOR, AND, OR, is 0, is -, carry. It can do flags like A = B, A > B, A < B.

Example of what opcodes may look like:

Name	Opcode	Description
Add	000	Adds A and B
Sub	001	Subtracts A and B
AND	010	if A and B are true then output true else output false
NAND	011	invert of AND if A and B is true then output false
OR	100	either A or B
NOR	101	invert of OR
XOR	110	OR of A and B but if both are true then output false