Computer Organization: Machine Level Data Representations

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of using 2's complement representation for signed integers in a digital computer?

To reduce the number of bits required for representation

To provide a simple and efficient way to represent negative numbers (correct)

To increase the range of representable values

To simplify arithmetic operations

What is the effect of rounding errors in floating-point representation on the accuracy of chained calculations?

Rounding errors are only significant in single-precision floating-point representation

Rounding errors accumulate and decrease the accuracy of chained calculations (correct)

Rounding errors have no impact on the accuracy of chained calculations

Rounding errors cancel out and increase the accuracy of chained calculations

What is the main difference between a microarchitecture and a system architecture?

Microarchitecture is related to the design of the entire computer system, while system architecture is related to the design of the CPU

Microarchitecture is related to the design of the CPU, while system architecture is related to the design of the entire computer system (correct)

Microarchitecture is a subset of system architecture

System architecture is a subset of microarchitecture

What is the purpose of an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?

To define the programming model and instruction format for a computer Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of an unsigned integer representation in a digital computer?

It can only represent positive numbers Signup and view all the answers

What is the IEEE-754 standard for?

Specifying the format for floating-point number representation Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the flow control class of instructions?

Making decisions and jumping to different locations Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) design?

To provide a set of instructions that can be easily executed by the CPU Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a cache in a CPU?

To improve the performance of the CPU by reducing the latency of memory access Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of hardware multithreading techniques?

To increase the number of threads that can be executed simultaneously Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between a combinational circuit and a sequential circuit?

The presence of feedback Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of interrupts in I/O control?

To notify the CPU of an I/O request Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

2's Complement Representation

Using 2's complement representation allows for efficient arithmetic operations on signed integers in a digital computer.
It simplifies the hardware logic required for subtraction, as it treats subtraction as addition with the 2's complement of the subtrahend.

Rounding Errors

Rounding errors in floating-point representation occur due to the limited precision of how numbers are stored.
These errors propagate throughout chained calculations, potentially leading to cumulative errors that can significantly impact accuracy.

System vs. Microarchitecture

Microarchitecture refers to the internal organization and design of a processor, detailing how instructions are fetched, decoded and executed.
System architecture focuses on the overall structure of the computer system, including its components, their interconnections, and the interaction between software and hardware.

Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)

ISA defines the set of instructions that a processor can understand and execute.
It acts as an interface between software and hardware, enabling programmers to write code that is portable across different implementations of the same ISA.

Unsigned Integers

Unsigned integers are a type of number representation that only allows for non-negative values, utilizing all bits to represent the magnitude.
This representation offers a simple and efficient way to store and process positive integers.

IEEE-754 Standard

The IEEE-754 standard defines the representation of floating-point numbers, including formats for single-precision (32-bit) and double-precision (64-bit) values.
It specifies the rules for arithmetic operations and handling special values like infinity and NaN (Not a Number).

Flow Control Instructions

Flow control instructions are responsible for altering the normal sequential execution of instructions.
They enable branching, looping, and other control flow mechanisms, allowing programs to execute different code blocks based on specific conditions.

ISA Design Goals

The primary goal of ISA design is to achieve a balance between performance, flexibility, and ease of use.
A well-designed ISA will allow efficient execution of instructions, offer a rich set of operations for diverse applications, and provide a straightforward programming model.

Cache Purpose

A cache is a small, fast memory that stores frequently accessed data, reducing the need to access the slower main memory.
By holding recently used data, it significantly accelerates program execution by minimizing memory access latency.

Hardware Multithreading

Hardware multithreading allows multiple threads to share the same processor core by switching between them rapidly.
This technique can improve overall system performance through parallel execution, allowing the processor to make better use of available resources.

Combinational vs. Sequential Circuits

A combinational circuit produces output based solely on current input values, with no memory of past inputs.
A sequential circuit incorporates memory elements, allowing the output to depend on previous inputs and states.

Interrupt Purpose in I/O

Interrupts are hardware events that trigger a change in the normal flow of execution, allowing the system to handle real-time events.
They enable efficient I/O control, letting devices signal their readiness for data transfer or report errors, without constantly polling the devices for status.

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Description

Test your understanding of how computers store and represent different types of data, including unsigned integers, signed integers in 2's complement form, and floating-point values in IEEE-754 formats. This quiz covers the fundamental concepts of machine level data representations in computer organization.