Chapter 2: Data Manipulation

Question 1

What’s the idea of storing a computer’s program in it’s main memory called?

Answer 1

Stored Program Concept

Question 2

What’s a machine instruction?

Answer 2

A machine instruction is an instruction encoded as a bit pattern recognized by the CPU.

Question 3

What’s a machine language?

Answer 3

A machine language is a set of all machine instructions recognized by the CPU.

Question 4

What is RISC?

Answer 4

RISC stands for reduced instruction set computer. Architectures have few, simple, efficient and fast instructions, for example ARM based processors in smartphones.

Question 5

What is CISC?

Answer 5

CISC stands for complex instruction set computer. Architectures have many, convenient and powerful instructions, for example Intel-processors in laptops.

Question 6

What are the three machine instruction categories?

Answer 6

Data Transfer unit = instructions move data from one location to another.
Arithmetic/logic unit = instructions tell the control unit to request an activity within the arithmetic/logic unit.
Control unit = instructions direct the computation of the program rather than the manipulation of data.