Computer performs both simple and complex operations, with speed and accuracy. It can work at enormously high speed.
The total time needed to execute application programs is the most important measure of computer system performance.
It executes a variety of instruction. It can add and subtract numbers compare of letters to determine alphabetic sequence move, copy numbers and letters.
Computer operations for example, execution of an instruction are measured in millisecond, nanoseconds and picoseconds (one thousandth, one millionth, one billionth and one trillionth of a second respectively).
High speed computer can perform 3 to 4 million simple arithmetic operations per second.
The processing speed is based on its ‘cycle time’.
The average desktop computer‘s cycle time is 900 - 1000 nanoseconds. It means that in one nanosecond the computer can perform 900-1000 operations.
The speed of computers system depends on various factors, including:
*Hardware
*Programming language
*Pipelining
*Parallelism
*Memory
*Compatibility
Characteristics of computer: Speed