Types of processors

Question 1

what does RISC mean ?

Answer 1

reduced instruction set cycle

Question 2

what does CISC mean ?

Answer 2

complex instruction set cycle

Question 3

what are the properties of RISC ?

Answer 3

• small instruction set
  -each instructuion is one line of code
• used in poratable devices

Question 4

what are the properties of CISC ?

Answer 4

• used in embedded systems and microprocessors
• instructions are built into hardware
• a large instruction set

Question 5

what is the benefit of RISC ?

Answer 5

-piplining is possible
- less energy consumption

Question 6

what is a benefit of CISC ?

Answer 6

-compliers have less work to do
-the require less RAM since instructions are smaller

Question 7

what is a GPU ?

Answer 7

graphics processing unit , this is a co- processor which is speciallised in rendering graphics

Question 8

what are GPU’s used for now days ?

Answer 8

GPU are now used for machine learing and image proicessing

Question 9

name two applications which GPU’s may be used ?

Answer 9

• machine learning
  -linear algerbra
• weather forecast

Question 10

describe the differences between a GPU and quad processor ?

Answer 10

GPU:
- single core
- used for rendering graphics
- this is a co-processor
- typically run slow

quad core:
- this is a CPU
-multiple core
-typically run fast
- used for generic operations

Question 11

what is virtual memory?

Answer 11

virual memoery is a memory management procedi=ure used when RAM is Full , this creates a virtual memoery to temporarily store data , which is created in the hard drive

Question 12

explain why an upgrade to a larger ROM chip would be unnecessary and would not affect the performace of a computer ?

Answer 12

• A larger ROM chip would be unecessary as it wont add any data/storage to the computer. this would be unecessary as it only reads memeory only

Question 13

give a typical use for each of these devices ?

• DVD ?
  -CD- ROM ?
  -HARD DISK ?
  -USB ?

Answer 13

DVD - store multimedia /videos
CD-ROM - store multimedia data
Hard Disk - storing computer software
USB -use to store/transfer documetns and multimeida

Question 14

what does ROM stand for ?
and what are its properties ?

Answer 14

Read only memoery

• ROM is non-volatile(cannot be changed)
• even if you turn off your computer , the ROM will remain

Question 15

what does RAM stand for ?
and what are its properties ?

Answer 15

• Random acess memory
• RAM is volatile
• Once the computer is switched off the data and instructions held in RAM are lost

Question 16

what is the difference between ROM and RAM ?

Answer 16

ROM is read only memory and non-volatile .
RAM is random acess memory which can be read from and written to . and is volaitle .

Question 17

what is a high level language ?

Answer 17

The instructions that tell a computer what to do are written in machine code.

e.g python

Question 18

what is a low level language ?

Answer 18

Low-level languages are languages that sit close to the computer’s instruction set.

e.g binary

Question 19

what are the adv of low level languagae ?

Answer 19

-LLL is fast and memeoery efficint and can be understood by the machine
- programmers can utilise processor memoery better

disadvantage :
- a line of code per instruction
-instructions are machine specific

Question 20

what is a compiler ?
what is a translator?
what is an assembler?

Answer 20

compiler - converts high level language to low level language
translator- translates low level language to high level language
assembler - converts low level language to machine code

Question 21

list three standards for reusable program components, which may be enforced within organisation ?

Answer 21

• inputs, and output preconditions should always be documented
• Documents should have a standard format
  -all variables must be local to module

Question 22

what is an algorithim ?

what makes a good algorithm?

Answer 22

an algorithm is a list set of instructions, used to solve problems or perform tasks, based on the understanding of available alternatives.

• effective
  -easy to understand by others
  -independant
  -output has to be specified
  -input specified