| FPU Your
computer's CPU is geared toward dealing with integer mathematics. When you
throw floating-point math at it, the CPU shucks off the responsibility to
the FPU (if the computer has one), which is designed to handle
floating-point math more efficiently. Once called a numeric (or math)
coprocessor, the FPU can be either a separate chip (such as Intel's 80387
or Motorola's 68881), or it can be integrated into the CPU, such as the
Pentium or 68040 processors. Just as 1994's flawed Pentiums could be
induced to perform floating-point operations (by running a program to
disable the FPU), your CPU can, too--but it won't do it as quickly as an
FPU. |