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Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) - Functions, Block Diagram & Logic Circuit | Logicroo

Learn about Arithmetic Logic Units (ALUs) with interactive block diagrams, arithmetic operations, logical operations, control signals, logic circuit implementation, and digital system examples.

4-bit Arithmetic Logic Unit

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

An ALU combines an adder/subtractor and a logic unit behind a shared output mux, selected by an opcode. B is conditioned through a XOR-with-SUB stage so the same adder performs both A+B and A−B (via B's two's-complement), while the logic unit produces AND / OR / XOR / NOT in parallel. The mux then picks which result reaches F, and flags are derived from it — Z = NOR(F), N = F3, C = adder carry-out, V = signed overflow, both only meaningful on arithmetic ops. Critical path is a four gate delay circuit (COND, ALU-CORE, MUX, FLAGS).

Operand A (A3 = MSB)
Operand B (B3 = MSB)
Opcode
F (bin)
0011
F (dec)
3
Z C V N
0 0 0 0
Delay
0Δ
F = A + B  (SUB: F = A + B' + 1)  (4 gate delay — COND, ALU-CORE, MUX, FLAGS)
Z = NOR(F3..F0)  N = F3  C = adder carry-out (arith only)  V = signed overflow (arith only)
Opcode reference (active op highlighted)
OpFunctionAdderLogic unitC validV valid