GPUs (Graphical Processing Units)

Question 1

What is a coprocessor and why are they used

Answer 1

A coprocessor is an additional processor used for a specialised task - this improves the speed of a computer as instructions are executed alongside the CPU. They are used for floating point calculations

Question 2

Describe how a GPU would render graphics

Answer 2

The image is split into segments, and each segment is assigned factors like coords, angle of light, texture, RBG values etc. Then, many calculations are done in parallel , and they crunvthrough every pixel of the image from the camera perspective to make a 2D representations of a 3D object

Question 3

What else can we use a GPU for

Answer 3

Machine learning, statistical analysis, oil exploration, weather modelling etc

Question 4

What are the main difference between a CPU and GPU

Answer 4

CPU - generalised, complex operations on small data sets, slower in general

GPU-