Which memory stores data currently in use and is directly addressable by the CPU?

Which memory stores data currently in use and is directly addressable by the CPU?

• A. RAM (main memory).
• B. Cache.
• C. Secondary storage.
• D. Registers.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is the role of the main memory as the CPU’s working space. RAM is the primary place where the system stores the code and data the CPU is actively using. It is directly addressable by the processor, meaning the CPU can fetch and place data there using memory addresses as part of instruction execution. This distinguishes it from other storage: registers are tiny storage inside the CPU used for immediate operations, but they’re not the broad, addressable workspace for programs; cache holds a small, fast copy of frequently used data to speed up access; and secondary storage is for long-term or larger-volume data, not the immediate working set. So RAM best fits the description of storing data currently in use and being directly addressable by the CPU.

The key idea is the role of the main memory as the CPU’s working space. RAM is the primary place where the system stores the code and data the CPU is actively using. It is directly addressable by the processor, meaning the CPU can fetch and place data there using memory addresses as part of instruction execution. This distinguishes it from other storage: registers are tiny storage inside the CPU used for immediate operations, but they’re not the broad, addressable workspace for programs; cache holds a small, fast copy of frequently used data to speed up access; and secondary storage is for long-term or larger-volume data, not the immediate working set. So RAM best fits the description of storing data currently in use and being directly addressable by the CPU.