Final answer:
True, cache memory reduces average memory access time by utilizing both temporal and spatial locality principles, which predict that recently accessed or nearby data will likely be used again in the near future, resulting in faster data access from cache compared to main memory.
Step-by-step explanation:
True: Cache memory does indeed reduce average memory access time by exploiting the principle of locality. This concept is based on the observation that programs tend to access a relatively small portion of their address space at any given time.
There are two types of locality: temporal locality, where recently accessed memory locations are likely to be accessed again soon, and spatial locality, where locations near recently accessed data are likely to be accessed soon.
Cache memory is a smaller, faster type of volatile computer memory that provides high-speed data access to a processor and stores frequently used computer programs, applications, and data. By using cache, the computer can reduce the average time to access data from the main memory.
When the processor needs to read or write a location in main memory, it first checks whether a copy of that data is in the cache. If it is (cache hit), the processor immediately reads or writes the data in the cache, which is much faster than reading or writing data in the main memory. If the data is not found in the cache (cache miss), it then accesses the slower main memory. Over time, this significantly decreases the effective average delay in accessing memory.