Computer Architecture and Performance Design

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Questions and Answers

Which factor does not contribute to designing for performance in computer architecture?

Power Consumption Levels (correct)

Microprocessor Speed

Chip Organization Improvement

Performance Balance

What distinguishes CISC from RISC architectures?

RISC architectures perform multiple tasks simultaneously

RISC architectures are generally more complex

CISC architectures require more clock cycles per instruction (correct)

CISC has a smaller instruction set than RISC

What defines a 'hardwired program' in computer architecture?

A pre-written software application

A high-level programming language script

A set of logic components configured to perform a specific task (correct)

A collection of software libraries

Which historical Intel architecture comes before the Pentium series?

80386 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a key parameter for performance assessment of processors?

Clock Efficiency Signup and view all the answers

In the context of computer architecture, which of these does not represent an ancient Intel processor?

Pentium Pro Signup and view all the answers

What is the main result of combining basic logic components in hardware programming?

Storage and processing of binary data Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best defines performance balance in the context of computer design?

Optimal configurations of multiple hardware components Signup and view all the answers

What does a '1' bit in the sign of a 16-bit data format denote?

Negative number Signup and view all the answers

Which instruction does the opcode '00012' represent in the hypothetical machine?

Load AC from memory Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Program Counter (PC) in the execution of instructions?

Holds the address of the next instruction Signup and view all the answers

During the execution of the instruction at address 300, what value does the Accumulator (AC) contain after loading from address 940?

0003 Signup and view all the answers

What occurs after the instruction that adds contents to the Accumulator from location 941 is executed?

AC contains the new sum Signup and view all the answers

Which type of interrupt is used specifically for multi-tasking purposes?

Timer interrupt Signup and view all the answers

If the opcode in the Instruction Register (IR) is '5941', what action will the Accumulator (AC) perform?

Add old contents of AC and memory Signup and view all the answers

What happens when an interrupt is triggered in a computing system?

The current program is paused to handle the interrupt Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of control signals in software programming?

They instruct the hardware to perform arithmetic and logic operations. Signup and view all the answers

Which component generates control signals based on the provided codes?

Instruction interpreter Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates the CPU's Program Counter (PC) from the Memory Address Register (MAR)?

PC contains the next instruction's address, MAR specifies the address in memory for reading/writing. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the I/O module in a computer system?

To facilitate data transfer between external devices and the CPU/memory. Signup and view all the answers

How is each unique instruction coded for execution in a CPU?

Via a specific opcode stored in the Instruction Register (IR). Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes the structure of main memory?

It consists of multiple locations, each with sequentially numbered addresses containing binary numbers. Signup and view all the answers

Which component specifies which I/O device is being used in a CPU?

Input/Output Address Register (I/O AR) Signup and view all the answers

What allows a computer to adapt to new programs without rewiring hardware?

The presence of an instruction interpreter alongside general-purpose hardware. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when an interrupt is pending during program execution?

The execution of the current program is suspended. Signup and view all the answers

In a system that employs a sequential approach to handling multiple interrupts, what happens to interrupts that occur while one is being processed?

They are queued and will be checked after the current one is processed. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the nested approach to interrupt handling?

Lower priority interrupts can be interrupted by higher priority ones. Signup and view all the answers

Considering the interrupt priorities given, which interrupt will be processed last?

Printer Signup and view all the answers

How long does each interrupt take to process in the given scenario?

10 seconds Signup and view all the answers

What information is saved when an interrupt is processed?

The original program's execution address Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the behavior of the processor when disabling interrupts during execution?

The processor queues interrupts for sequential processing later. Signup and view all the answers

If multiple interrupts occur, what is the potential disadvantage of using the sequential approach?

It may cause delays in processing high-priority interrupts. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the I/O module?

To control more than one external device Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following accurately describes the role of the CPU in the system?

It generates addresses for memory locations or I/O ports. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of a bus in a computer system?

It acts as a shared transmission medium for connected devices. Signup and view all the answers

How does the address bus affect a computer's memory capacity?

It identifies source and destination for data, influencing maximum capacity. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the nature of data transmission over a bus?

Only one device can successfully transmit data at any one time. Signup and view all the answers

In a bus structure, what does the width of the data bus impact?

The performance related to data size being transmitted. Signup and view all the answers

What type of operation does the I/O module perform similar to memory?

Read and write operations Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about ports in the I/O module is accurate?

Each port can transmit data independently of the others. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Review

Microprocessor Speed, Performance Balance, and Improvements in Chip Organization and Architecture are key factors in performance design.
Clock Speed, Instructions per Second, and Averaging Results and Speed Up Computation are key parameters to evaluate processors.
Ancient (4004, 8080), Very Old (8086, 80286), Old (80386, 80486), Recent (Pentium, Pentium Pro, Pentium II, Pentium III, Pentium 4, Core 2) are examples of Intel Architecture evolution.
CISC vs. RISC refers to the differences in the instruction set of a computer.

Computer Components

Hardware Programming combines logic components for data storage, arithmetic, and logical operations.
Software Programming uses a general-purpose configuration of functions controlled by signals for different operations.
Instruction Interpreter and Arithmetic and Logic Functions Module form the CPU.
Main Memory stores instructions and data in sequentially numbered addresses.
I/O Module transfers data between external devices and CPU/memory, using internal buffers.
PC, IR, MAR, MBR, I/O AR, and I/O BR are key CPU registers.

Computer Function

Program Counter (PC) stores the address of the next instruction to be fetched from memory.
Instruction Register (IR) holds the instruction being executed.
Accumulator (AC) provides temporary storage.
Interrupt is a mechanism for other modules (like I/O) to interrupt processing.
Overflow, Division by Zero, Timer, I/O, and Hardware Failure are examples of interrupt types.
Interrupt Cycle Steps: Suspend current program, Save context, Set PC to interrupt handler, Process interrupt, Restore context and continue.
Sequential and Nested are approaches to handle multiple interrupts.
Sequential Approach disables further interrupts while processing the first, handling interrupts sequentially.
Nested Approach defines priority levels for interrupts, allowing high-priority interrupts to interrupt lower-priority ones.

Interconnection Structures

Memory consists of words with unique addresses for data read or write operations.
I/O Module controls external devices and has ports with addresses for data input/output and interrupt signals.
CPU reads instructions and data, receives interrupt signals, writes processed data, controls system operations, and generates addresses for accessing memory or I/O ports.
BUS is a shared communication pathway for transmitting data among devices.
System Bus is the bus that connects the major computer components.
Data Bus carries data and instruction, width affects performance.
Address Bus identifies the data source or destination, its width determines memory capacity.
Control Bus carries control signals for managing the operation of the computer components.

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Description

This quiz explores essential concepts related to microprocessors, including performance evaluations through clock speed and instructions per second. It delves into the evolution of Intel architectures and contrasts CISC and RISC architectures. Understand the roles of hardware and software programming in the functioning of computer components.