Week 1 - Computer Architecture

Question 1

Program Counter

Answer 1

A register that holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched.

Question 2

Four main elements of a computer system.

Answer 2

CPU, I/O module, main memory, system bus

Question 3

Transference of data from processor to memory or memory to processor.

Answer 3

CPU-memory

Question 4

Transference of data to or from a peripheral device

Answer 4

CPU-I/O

Question 5

A mechanism by which an I/O device alerts the processor to a high-priority process when an interruption is required. The normal sequencing of data transfer by the processor is interrupted.

Answer 5

Interrupt

Question 6

Advantages of using Interrupts in a computer system?

Answer 6

Increases efficiency of the CPU

Conserves CPU cycles

Question 7

What characteristics distinguish the various elements of a memory hierarchy?

Answer 7

Cost per bit
Access time
Capacity

Question 8

Where is cache stored?

Answer 8

Between the CPU and main memory

Question 9

It is a software or hardware component that temporarily stores frequently accessed memory in an accessible storage media, separate from bulk storage. Acts as a buffer for frequently used memory locations.

Answer 9

Cache memory

Question 10

A type of storage that is not used for high-speed execution.

Answer 10

Bulk storage

Question 11

What is a multiprocessor system?

Answer 11

A computer system comprising two or more processors that are connected to a single, shared main memory.

Question 12

What is a multicore system?

Answer 12

A computer system comprising only one processor consisting of multiple execution units (cores).

Question 13

Multiprocessing where all of the processors controlled by a single operating system is treated equally. Each processor is self-scheduling, capable of performing any tasks and handling I/O instructions. All processors are connected to a single, shared main memory and no one processor is reserved for special purposes.

Answer 13

Symmetric multiprocessing

Question 14

Consists of a master CPU and the remainder of which are slave CPUs. Each processor has specific tasks, with the master CPU handling I/O instructions and distributing tasks among the slaves.

Answer 14

Asymmetric processing

Question 15

A cache level that is local and closest to the processor and therefore the fastest memory in the computer.
Resides in the same chip for single core processors.
Has a dedicated one in multicore processors which are not shared between the cores.

Answer 15

L1 cache