Assemblers and interpreters are two types of program translator. State the purpose of an assembler.
How to approach this question
Recall the three types of translators: compilers, interpreters, and assemblers. Each one translates a specific type of language into machine code. Identify which language an assembler is designed to work with.
Full Answer
An assembler is a specific type of program translator. Its sole purpose is to convert low-level assembly language code into executable machine code (binary) that the computer's processor can understand and execute directly. Each assembly language instruction typically corresponds to one machine code instruction.
Common mistakes
✗ Stating that it translates high-level language.
✗ Confusing it with a compiler or interpreter.
✗ Saying it translates machine code into assembly language (that's a disassembler).
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