Final answer:
CPUs of the same make and model are rated at different speeds due to variations from the manufacturing process, which are sorted through a process called binning. This leads to categorization based on their performance, resulting in some CPUs having higher or lower speeds. Supercomputers, like China's Taihulight, highlight how varying CPU speeds can contribute to massive computational power.
Step-by-step explanation:
Central processing units (CPUs) of the same make and model can be rated at different speeds due to a process called "binning." Binning occurs after manufacturing when CPUs are tested for their performance capabilities. Due to minute variations in the manufacturing process, even within the same batch, some CPUs can handle higher speeds more reliably than others.
In the context of supercomputers, these variations may lead to significant differences in overall performance. For example, the Taihulight supercomputer, built from Sunway CPUs, runs at speeds of up to 125.44 petaflops. This actually demonstrates how variations in CPU capabilities can be aggregated to reach remarkable computational speeds.
A Pentium chip from a 6-inch wafer, for instance, might be rated to execute over 100 million instructions per second, but not every chip from the same wafer will necessarily perform at the exact same level. The binning process will categorize them based on the maximum safe operating frequency they can handle consistently, which is why some might have slightly higher or lower speeds.