T01 Computer Concepts Practice Test

This question tests understanding of the machine cycle, the sequence a processor follows to handle a single instruction. The processor begins by fetching the next instruction from memory using the program counter, then decodes it to figure out what operation to perform and which operands are involved. Next, it executes that operation, carrying out the required action, and finally stores the result back into a register or memory. This loop—fetch, decode, execute, store—repeats for every instruction in a program. The term machine cycle specifically fits this sequence of steps for processing one instruction. While you might encounter the term instruction cycle in some contexts, the conventional label that matches this exact order is the machine cycle.