System Architecture

Question 1

What is the purpose of the CU?

Answer 1

1. It sends control signals to direct the operations of the CPU
2. It decodes instructions during the FDE cycle

Question 2

What is the purpose of the ALU ?

Answer 2

1. To perform calculations and logical operations

Question 3

What is a register?

Answer 3

Temporary storage space for one instruction or one address

Question 4

What is cache memory ?

Answer 4

A register that is used to temporarily store data that is frequently accessed

Question 5

Step 1 of the FDE cycle

Answer 5

.Pc displays the address in the RAM of the next instruction to be processed
.That value is copied to the MAR

Question 6

Step 2 of the FDE cycle?

Answer 6

.Pc register is increased by 1
.This prepares the cpu for the next instructions to be fetch

Question 7

Step 3 of the FDE cycle

Answer 7

The CPU checks address in RAM which matches the address held in the MAR

Question 8

Step 4 of the FDE cycle ?

Answer 8

The instructions in RAM is transferred to the MDR

Question 9

Step 5 of the FDE cycle ?

Answer 9

.The instructions in the MDR are copied to the CIR

Question 10

Step 6 of the FDE cycle?

Answer 10

The CIR is decoded and executed
Any results in the exception is stored in the accumulator

Question 11

How does cache affect the performance of the CPU?

Answer 11

.Cache memory is closer to the CPU then RAM meaning it provides data and instructions to the CPU at a faster rate
.More cache also mean that repeatedly used instructions can be stored and access faster

Question 12

How does clock speed affect performance ?

Answer 12

.Faster clock speed means that the computer can perform the FDE cycle and more instructions can be processed each second

Question 13

How does cores affect the performance of the CPU?

Answer 13

. More cores mean more instructions can be processed at once

Question 14

What is an embedded system ?

Answer 14

A computer system built into a larger machine to provide a means of control

Question 15

What is the PC ?

Answer 15

The register that tracks the RAM address of the next instruction to be fetched

Question 16

What is the MAR?

Answer 16

The register that tracks the RAM address of the instruction to be fetched

Question 17

What is the MDR?

Answer 17

Stores the instruction that has been transferred from RAM to the CPU

Question 18

What is the CIR?

Answer 18

Register that stores the instructions that has been fetched from the RAM and is about o be decoded and executed