1.1 Architecture, CISC, RISC, GPUs

Question 1

What is Harvard Architecture ?

Answer 1

Data and instructions are stored and fetched separately.

Question 2

What is an advantage of Harvard Architecture ?

Answer 2

Harvard architecture can process instructions and data at the same time.
Can store in different formal like read only

Question 3

What is a disadvantage of Harvard Architecture ?

Answer 3

It’s more complex.
Less efficient use of memory

Question 4

What is Pipelining ?

Answer 4

Completing more instructions in a clock
cycle by using every register constantly.
While one instruction is fetched another is decoded and another is executed.

Question 5

How does Complex Instruction Set Computers (CISC)
work? (2 points)

Answer 5

Longer instructions are used to complete tasks in as few lines of code as possible.

Instructions take a variable number of clock
cycles.

Question 6

How does Reduced Instruction Set Computers (RISC) work?

Answer 6

Uses simple instructions, each taking a single clock cycle.

Question 7

What are some Advantages and some Disadvantages of RISC ?

Answer 7

• Simple parts
• Cheap to make
• Runs quickly
• Allows pipelining

But…
* Complex tasks take
multiple instructions
* Uses more RAM

Question 8

What are some Advantages and some Disadvantages of CISC ?

Answer 8

• Many instructions available.
• Instructions vary in execution time.

But…
* Complex components
* More expensive
More heat

Question 9

What is the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

Answer 9

A co-processor with a high number of cores.
Each completes relatively simple but specific tasks quickly. Good for repetitive tasks on large datasets.