NIST

random access machine

(definition)

Definition: A model of computation whose memory consists of an unbounded sequence of registers, each of which may hold an integer. In this model, arithmetic operations are allowed to compute the address of a memory register.

See also cell probe model, pointer machine, Turing machine, big-O notation.

Note: From Algorithms and Theory of Computation Handbook, page 5-24, Copyright © 1999 by CRC Press LLC. Appearing in the Dictionary of Computer Science, Engineering and Technology, Copyright © 2000 CRC Press LLC.

Author: CRC-A


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Entry modified 17 December 2004.
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Cite this as:
Algorithms and Theory of Computation Handbook, CRC Press LLC, 1999, "random access machine", in Dictionary of Algorithms and Data Structures [online], Paul E. Black, ed. 17 December 2004. (accessed TODAY) Available from: https://www.nist.gov/dads/HTML/randomaccess.html