What does RISC stand for in computer architecture?
A Reduced Instruction Set Computing
B Random Integrated System Computing
C Regular Instruction Set Computing
D Random Instruction Set Computing
RISC stands for Reduced Instruction Set Computing. It uses a small, simple set of instructions that can be executed in one clock cycle, making it more efficient for certain types of applications compared to CISC.
Which of the following is an example of an addressing mode?
A I/O
B Control
C Direct
D Memory
Direct addressing mode involves specifying the operand’s memory address directly within the instruction. This makes accessing data faster, as the address is already known during the execution of the instruction.
What is the main purpose of an interrupt in a computer system?
A Execute a sequence of tasks
B Handle higher‐priority tasks
C Pause the CPU
D Store data
Interrupts allow the CPU to temporarily halt its current task and respond to more urgent tasks, such as handling I/O operations or responding to a system event, ensuring time‐sensitive tasks are addressed promptly.
What is the primary function of Direct Memory Access (DMA)?
A Manage memory
B Fetch instructions
C Control CPU operations
D Transfer data directly between memory and peripherals
DMA allows peripheral devices to transfer data directly to or from memory without involving the CPU, reducing processor workload and speeding up data transfer for tasks like disk I/O or network communications.
Which architecture is known for using complex instructions that can execute multiple operations in one instruction?
A SoC
B CISC
C VLIW
D RISC
CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computing) uses a large and complex set of instructions that can perform multiple operations in one cycle. This contrasts with RISC, which focuses on simpler, faster instructions.
What does the Control Unit (CU) in the CPU do?
A Direct operations
B Execute instructions
C Perform calculations
D Fetch data
The Control Unit (CU) coordinates and controls the execution of instructions in the CPU. It directs the operations of the ALU, registers, and other components, ensuring instructions are carried out correctly.
What is a key feature of multi‐core processors?
A Reduced CPU temperature
B Increased memory speed
C Multiple processing units on one chip
D Increased storage capacity
Multi‐core processors feature multiple processing units (cores) on a single chip, allowing for parallel execution of tasks. This improves performance for multitasking and complex computations by sharing the workload across the cores.
What does virtual memory allow the operating system to do?
A Speed up data access
B Use physical RAM
C Handle multiple processors
D Access more memory than physically available
Virtual memory extends the available memory by using disk space as if it were RAM. This allows systems to run larger applications than can be stored in physical memory by swapping data in and out of RAM.
What does pipelining in CPU architecture improve?
A Memory access
B Power consumption
C Instruction throughput
D Task division
Pipelining improves instruction throughput by allowing multiple instructions to be processed simultaneously in different stages. This maximizes CPU utilization and speeds up processing by reducing idle times between instruction stages.
What is the main advantage of using SSDs over HDDs?
A Faster data access
B Lower cost
C Larger size
D Higher capacity
SSDs (Solid State Drives) offer faster data access speeds than HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) because they use flash memory instead of mechanical disks. This results in quicker boot times and faster file transfers.
What is a key benefit of hardware acceleration?
A More flexible processing
B Lower power consumption
C Faster processing for specific tasks
D Increased memory usage
Hardware acceleration uses specialized hardware (such as GPUs or FPGAs) to perform specific tasks, such as graphics rendering or encryption, more efficiently than the general‐purpose CPU, significantly improving processing speed for those tasks.
What does an address bus do in a computer system?
A Stores data
B Controls the CPU
C Transfers data
D Carries memory addresses
The address bus carries the memory addresses that the CPU needs to access during instruction execution. It determines where data should be read from or written to in memory or I/O devices.
What is the main function of a GPU in modern computing systems?
A Manage memory
B Render graphics and parallel tasks
C Control input/output
D Perform arithmetic operations
The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is specialized for rendering images and handling parallel processing tasks. It is highly efficient for computations involving large amounts of data, such as graphics rendering and machine learning.
What does the system bus connect in a computer?
A CPU to peripherals
B Memory to storage
C Memory to CPU
D CPU to I/O devices
The system bus is responsible for connecting the CPU to memory and other components. It facilitates communication between these components by transferring data, addresses, and control signals.
What does the term “microprogramming” refer to?
A Controlling CPU operations at the machine level
B Designing new hardware components
C Optimizing memory usage
D Writing high‐level software
Microprogramming involves using micro‐instructions to control the operations of the CPU. It is a technique used to implement complex machine instructions by breaking them into simpler steps at the hardware level.