Computer Science › Section C · Data manipulation › Topic C.2
Machine language
A CPU understands only bit patterns. Its machine language is the fixed list of patterns it can decode and obey, and reading a few instructions by hand shows exactly what a program looks like to the hardware.
In this topic
- Instructions as bit patterns
- A short list is enough
- RISC and CISC today
- Three groups of instructions
- Meet Sparrow, a teaching machine
- The Sparrow instruction table
- Worked example: decoding instructions
- Worked example: writing a program
- Bits mean what the instruction says
- Assembly language
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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