All the arithmetic operations of a microprocessor take place in the arithmetic logic unit (ALU). Using a combination of gates and flip-flops, numbers can be added in less than a microsecond, even in small personal computers. The operation to be performed is specified by signals from the control unit. The knowledge on which operations are performed can come from memory or an outside input. The knowledge may be combined in some way with the contents of the accumulator and the results are usually placed in the accumulator. From there they may be transferred to memory or to an output unit.
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