Parallel processing/FDE Cycle Flashcards
What does parallel processing involve?
Two or more processors working together to perform a single task
Tasks are split into smaller sub-tasks (threads) and executed simultaneously by available processors.
What are dual-core and quad-core systems?
Types of multi-core systems with two processors and four processors, respectively
These systems enhance computing power by allowing parallel processing.
Who is John von Neumann?
A Hungarian-American mathematician considered one of the fathers of modern-day computing
He contributed to various fields, including game and operator theory.
What significant paper did von Neumann release in 1945?
‘First draft report on the EDVAC’
This paper provided context for the development of the EDVAC computer.
What is the fetch-decode-execute cycle (FDE)?
A process where instructions are loaded into the processor one after another for execution
It involves fetching, decoding, and executing instructions sequentially.
What is pipelining in the context of the FDE cycle?
A system that makes the FDE process more efficient by allowing multiple instructions to be processed at different stages simultaneously
This improves the overall speed of execution.
What role does the Program Counter (PC) play in the FDE cycle?
It stores the address of the next instruction to be fetched
The PC is incremented to point to the next instruction unless a control instruction alters this flow.
What happens during the fetch stage of the FDE cycle?
The address in the MAR is looked up in memory, and the contents are loaded into the MDR
This may take several clock cycles depending on memory speed.
What is the purpose of the Memory Address Register (MAR)?
To hold the address of the instruction to be fetched
The MAR receives the address from the Program Counter (PC) during the fetch stage.
What occurs in the decode stage of the FDE cycle?
The opcode part of the instruction is decoded after being copied to the Current Instruction Register (CIR)
This allows the processor to understand what action to execute next.
How do jumps affect the FDE cycle?
Jumps can break the linear flow of the FDE cycle and force it to restart
They can slow down processing by losing pipelining benefits.
Fill in the blank: The majority of computing systems today are based on the ______ architecture.
von Neumann
