Which term describes very fast storage the CPU uses to speed up access to data?

Which term describes very fast storage the CPU uses to speed up access to data?

• A. RAM
• B. Cache
• C. ROM
• D. Hard Drive

Answer: (B)

Cache memory is the term that describes very fast storage the CPU uses to speed up access to data. It sits close to the processor and stores copies of data and instructions that the CPU expects to reuse soon. When the processor needs something, it first checks the cache; if the data are there, the CPU gets them almost instantly, reducing wait time. If not, it fetches from RAM and saves a copy in the cache for next time. This small, ultra-fast memory dramatically speeds up overall performance because it avoids slower accesses to main memory. RAM is fast, but slower than cache and holds the current working data and programs. ROM is non-volatile memory that stores firmware and isn’t used for speeding up regular data access. A hard drive is long-term storage, non-volatile and much slower than RAM or cache.

Cache memory is the term that describes very fast storage the CPU uses to speed up access to data. It sits close to the processor and stores copies of data and instructions that the CPU expects to reuse soon. When the processor needs something, it first checks the cache; if the data are there, the CPU gets them almost instantly, reducing wait time. If not, it fetches from RAM and saves a copy in the cache for next time. This small, ultra-fast memory dramatically speeds up overall performance because it avoids slower accesses to main memory.

RAM is fast, but slower than cache and holds the current working data and programs. ROM is non-volatile memory that stores firmware and isn’t used for speeding up regular data access. A hard drive is long-term storage, non-volatile and much slower than RAM or cache.