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Program Counter - GCSE Computer Science Definition

Reviewed by: Robert Hampton

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What is the Program Counter?

The program counter (PC) is a register within the CPU that holds the memory address of the next instruction to be fetched and executed as part of the the fetch-decode-execute cycle.

After the instruction has been fetched, the PC is typically incremented by 1 to point to the memory address of the next instruction.

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Robert Hampton

Reviewer: Robert Hampton

Expertise: Computer Science Content Creator

Rob has over 16 years' experience teaching Computer Science and ICT at KS3 & GCSE levels. Rob has demonstrated strong leadership as Head of Department since 2012 and previously supported teacher development as a Specialist Leader of Education, empowering departments to excel in Computer Science. Beyond his tech expertise, Robert embraces the virtual world as an avid gamer, conquering digital battlefields when he's not coding.

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