A computer works by following three main steps:

1. Input – You give it something (like typing clicking)
2. Process – The processor thinks about what to do with your input
3. Output – The computer shows the result (like sounds and images)

• The processor, also called the CPU (Central Processing Unit), is the brain of the computer.
• It is a small chip inside the computer
• It does all the thinking and makes decisions

The processor works using the fetch-execute cycle

1. It fetches instructions (gets them)
2. It decodes instructions (figures out what to do)
3. It executes instructions (carries them out)

It repeats this very fast—millions of times per second!

• Processor speed (clock speed) is how fast the processor can think and work
• It’s measured in GHz (gigahertz)
• A higher number means the processor can do tasks more quickly
• Fast processors help run games, apps, and videos smoothly!
• 1 GHz = 1 Billion ‘instructions’ per second

• Inside one processor, there can be many cores — like mini brains
  • 1 core = can do one thing at a time
  • 4 cores = can do four things at once
  • 8 cores = can do eight things at once
• More cores help your computer do lots of things at once, like playing music while browsing the web