What are registers used for in computing?

Registers are small, high-speed storage locations found within a computer's processor. Their primary purpose is to quickly access small quantities of data that the CPU needs for processing tasks. Because registers are situated close to the processor, they allow for extremely fast read and write operations, significantly speeding up the execution of instructions.

When the CPU executes instructions, it often needs to manipulate specific pieces of data temporarily. Registers hold these data items, enabling rapid access compared to accessing data from main memory, which is significantly slower. This allows the CPU to operate efficiently, minimizing delays as it executes programs or processes algorithms.

The other options do not accurately capture the function of registers. While storing recently accessed data may sound somewhat similar to what registers do, it is more akin to the purpose of cache memory rather than registers, which focus on immediate and temporary storage of data actively being processed.