Part 1 Block 3 - Instructing the Processor

Question 1

The set of all instructions that a processor can execute is called its i_________ s____.

Answer 1

instruction set

Question 2

RISC and CISC instruction sets

What does RISC stand for?

Answer 2

Reduced instruction set computing

(RISC) refers to a system in which the processor can execute a relatively small number of distinct fundamental, highly optimised instructions, each consisting of a single operation.

Question 3

RISC and CISC instruction sets

What does CISC stand for?

Answer 3

complex instruction set computing

(CISC), the processor can execute many more distinct instructions, with each potentially consisting of many operations.

Question 4

How many clock cycles does it take RISC to execute an instruction?

Answer 4

1

a RISC instruction consistently takes one clock cycle

Question 5

How many clock cycles does it take CISC to execute an instruction?

Answer 5

It can vary because a single instruction might need to access multiple memory locations.

Question 6

Which is more efficient, RISC or CISC?

Answer 6

RISC

Question 7

Which relies more on software to perform instructions, RISC or CISC

Answer 7

RISC

Question 8

Why was CISC more commonly used in the past?

Answer 8

Because early computers were born out of a world of switches and relays, so hardware solutions came more naturally than software solutions for early computer pioneers.