An ALU within a CPU The basic organization of a computer. (more) arithmetic logic unit computer Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/technology/Arithmetic-Logic-Unit Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: ALU Written by Sanat Pai Raikar Sanat Pai Raikar is a quizmaster and writer based out of Bangalore, India. His first quiz book, Three's A Quiz, was written from memory. Sanat has cofounded Quizarre, which provides quiz, crossword,... Sanat Pai Raikar Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Aug 21, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the function of an ALU in a computeru2019s CPU? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic and logic operations on binary numbers, such as addition, subtraction, and Boolean comparisons, as well as logic operations, such as OR, AND, and NOT." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who first described the modern ALU? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The workings of the modern ALU were first described by John von Neumann in his 1945 paper u201CFirst Draft of a Report on the EDVAC,u201D though he did not use the term ALU." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did early ALUs operate? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Most early ALUs operated one bit at a time because of the high cost and power consumption of electronic circuits." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What role does ALU design play in CPU performance? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "ALU design is crucial for central processing unit (CPU) performance, as ALU speed and efficiency have a significant impact on overall CPU performance." } } ] } Top Questions What is the function of an ALU in a computer’s CPU? The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic and logic operations on binary numbers, such as addition, subtraction, and Boolean comparisons, as well as logic operations, such as OR, AND, and NOT.

　　Who first described the modern ALU? The workings of the modern ALU were first described by John von Neumann in his 1945 paper “First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC,” though he did not use the term ALU.

　　How did early ALUs operate? Most early ALUs operated one bit at a time because of the high cost and power consumption of electronic circuits.

　　What role does ALU design play in CPU performance? ALU design is crucial for central processing unit (CPU) performance, as ALU speed and efficiency have a significant impact on overall CPU performance.

　　arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a key component of a computer’s central processing unit (CPU) that performs arithmetic and logic operations on binary numbers (0 and 1). In some processors an ALU is divided into an arithmetic unit, which performs such operations as addition, subtraction, and Boolean comparisons (comparing two values by applying an operator, such as “is equal to” or “is not equal to,” and yielding a value of true or false), and a logic unit, which performs such operations as OR, AND, and NOT. After the incoming data has been processed, the output is sent back to computer memory, ...(100 of 595 words)

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