Computer Architecture and Languages Flashcards
Cache memory
Portion of memory used for high speed storage
Register
An internal memory location within the CPU that temporarily holds data and instructions during process
Accumulator
The register that is used for arithmetic and logic calculations
Describe computers before Von Neumann
Can only do specific task, have to be rebuilt in order to complete another task
What new things did Von Neumann introduce?
Not only data should be stored in memory, but all the instructions in order to reprogram easily
Where is Control Unit (CU) located?
Internal part of the CPU
What does the CU do?
Controls the flow of data through the CPU + interactions between different parts of the CPU
What does the CU tell the different components?
How to respond to the instruction given
Where is Immediate access store (IAS) located?
Memory inside the CPU
What does IAS do?
Hold the data and the instructions needed to process that data
How does IAS also know?
CPU memory
Where is Arithmetic Logic Unit located (ALU)?
Internal part of the CPU
What does ALU do?
Carries out calculations on data
What does ALU’s arithmetic operators do?
x ÷ + -
What does ALU’s logical part do?
< > ≤ ≥ =
Where do logic ALU’s logical part info has to be placed?
In the accumulator
Buses
The components of the model are connected with them
What is the bus made out of?
Series of conductors, pathways
Types of buses/What do they carry? (3)
1) Data/Data
2) Adress/Adress
3) Control/Instructions
What is the first step of fetch-execute cycle called?
Fetching the instruction
What is the second step of fetch-execute cycle called?
Decode the instruction
What is the third step of fetch-execute cycle called?
Executing the instruction
What does the first step of fetch-execute cycle do? Stored?
Fetches the instruction IAS
What bus is used in the first step of fetch-execute cycle?
Address bus
What does the second step of fetch-execute cycle do?
Needs to understand the fetched instruction
What does the third step of fetch-execute cycle do?
Executes the instruction
What happens after the end of a fetch-execute cycle
It can start again
High level language
A programming language that looks like the language humans generally use
Low level language
A programming language that is closer to the native language of computers
Machine code
Series of binary numbers
Assembly language
A low level programming language that uses mnemonic codes to create programs
Syntax
The structure of a language in a computer program
Compiler
A computer program that takes a whole program written in a high level language and translates it into machine code
Interpreter
A computer program that translates a program written in a high level language line by line into machine code
Executable file
A file format that a computer can directly process
Mnemonic codes
Instruction codes used in assembly language
Assembler
Converts assembly language into machine code
Driver
A program that controls a device, for example, a printer or a keyboard
Advantages of assembly code? (3)
1) Manipulate in individual bits and bytes
2) Runs very fast
3) Takes less memory than code compiled from a high level language
Disadvantages of assembly code? (3)
1) Harder to delay
2) Longer to write programs in assembly code
3) Assembly language is more difficult to learn than high level language
