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What Is the Difference Between a Combinational Logic Circuit & a Computer Program?

A logic circuit's role is to input and output signals that are either high or low. The high signals are 1s, and the low ones are 0s. The circuit is made with the use of logic gates, which are circuit components that can combine to produce signals. A computer program is a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do. While a logic circuit is hardware, a computer program is software.

Logic Gates
- Logic gates are also referred to as gates. They are electronically controlled switches. Many of them are based on transistors. A 1 may therefore be represented by five volts, while a 0 is represented by zero volts. Common gates are AND, OR, NOT, NAND, and NOR. A NOT is also called an inverter. Each gate has its own logic. An AND is high only when both its inputs are high, while an OR is low only when both its inputs are low. Logic gates are sold as ICs, which are integrated circuit chips.
Combinational Logic Circuits
- A combinational logic circuit can be sequential, which means it reacts to data in sequence, or it can be combinational, which means that it reacts to data immediately. A microprocessor is built with both types. It is located on the motherboard, which is a circuit board. The microprocessor is the computer's "brain," and performs operations with the data. Some of its operations include basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Other operations include grouping and group comparison.
Computer Program Features
- A computer program is stored on a hard drive. The hard drive is inside a computer, and is responsible for storage. A program can instruct a computer to create an ebook, draw a picture, or open a Web browser. Examples of programs are operating systems, word processors, and Web browsers. The software is written using what is known as a programming language, which is a set of rules used to make programs. The language may be high-level, which means that it is written using words, though a compiler is used to change its format to one the computer can understand.
Logic Circuits and Computer Programs
- Combinational logic circuits allow computer programs to work. Most software functions within an operating system, which is a computer program that interfaces directly with software programs and also computer hardware. The operating system communicates with the motherboard and DVD players, for example. The microprocessor performs operations with instructions from computer programs, via the operating system. An example is a spreadsheet, which works with an operating system to use the microprocessor and other computer chips to perform addition on its columns.

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