New
New
Year 10
AQA

The fetch-execute (FE) cycle

I can describe the steps and functions of components in the fetch-execute (FE) cycle.

New
New
Year 10
AQA

The fetch-execute (FE) cycle

I can describe the steps and functions of components in the fetch-execute (FE) cycle.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The control unit decodes an instruction and tells other components what to do.
  2. The accumulator holds any data that is produced.
  3. Buses carry instructions from one component to another.

Keywords

  • Bus - used to carry instructions from one component to another

  • Binary representation - a sequence of 0s and 1s — the machine code of a computer

  • Accumulator - a register in the CPU that stores the results of calculations

  • Simulator - a program or system that imitates the behaviour of a real-world process

Common misconception

The CPU decodes and understands the instructions.

The instruction is decoded and then executed. The process only executes the instructions received.


To help you plan your year 10 computer science lesson on: The fetch-execute (FE) cycle, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Demonstrating the FE cycle can be done with students to help understand how data and instructions are passed on, along and off each bus.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Pupils do not require any specific equipment for this lesson.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Which part of the CPU performs mathematical calculations?
Correct Answer: arithmetic logic unit, ALU
Q2.
What is the main function of the control unit in the CPU?
store data
Correct answer: control instructions and components
perform calculations
connect devices
Q3.
Which of these is NOT a register in the CPU?
MAR
MDR
Correct answer: GPU
PC
Q4.
What is the purpose of the buses in von Neumann architecture?
store instructions
Correct answer: move data and signals
perform calculations
control memory
Q5.
Which register holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched?
Correct Answer: program counter, PC
Q6.
Put the following steps of the fetch-execute cycle in order:
1 - fetch instruction
2 - decode instruction
3 - execute instruction
4 - store result

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the main purpose of the CPU in a computer system?
to store files
to display images
to connect to the internet
Correct answer: to execute instructions
Q2.
Which register stores the address in memory for data or instructions to be accessed?
Correct Answer: MAR, memory address register
Q3.
Match each CPU component to its description:
Correct Answer:control unit,directs operations

directs operations

Correct Answer:ALU,performs calculations

performs calculations

Correct Answer:register,fast storage

fast storage

Correct Answer:bus,transfers data

transfers data

Q4.
Which component of the von Neumann architecture is responsible for fetching and decoding instructions?
Correct Answer: control unit, CU
Q5.
Which statement best describes what the CPU actually does with instructions?
the CPU interprets and understands instructions like a person
the CPU stores instructions for later use
Correct answer: the CPU executes instructions using its components
the CPU creates new instructions on its own
Q6.
Which component holds the data currently being processed by the CPU?
hard drive
RAM
Correct answer: registers
ROM