Assembly language represents machine operations using what?
A Unicode only
B Hydraulic symbols
C Mnemonics
D Cache tags
Answer: C. Mnemonics. Assembly mnemonics provide readable names for machine instructions.
An assembler translates assembly into what?
A C source only
B Machine code
C Circuit board
D Operating system
Answer: B. Machine code. An assembler converts mnemonic instructions into binary machine instructions.
A data-transfer instruction moves data between what?
A Clock domains only
B Registers or memory
C Power rails
D ALU flags only
Answer: B. Registers or memory. Data-transfer instructions copy values among registers, memory and I/O.
An arithmetic instruction may update what status field?
A Address bus width
B Memory capacity
C Condition flags
D Clock source
Answer: C. Condition flags. Arithmetic operations often set or clear status flags.
A logical instruction performs Boolean operations on what?
A Clock pulses
B Operand bits
C Memory pages
D Power rails
Answer: B. Operand bits. Logical operations apply bitwise functions to operands.
A branch instruction changes what execution value?
A Stack width
B Program counter
C Data bus voltage
D Memory capacity
Answer: B. Program counter. Branches alter the next instruction address.
A conditional branch tests what before changing control flow?
A Data bus width
B Clock frequency
C Status flags
D Memory type
Answer: C. Status flags. Conditional branches depend on flag conditions.
The carry flag records carry out or what arithmetic event?
A Borrow condition
B Cache hit
C Clock edge
D Address decode
Answer: A. Borrow condition. Carry or borrow status supports multiword arithmetic.
The zero flag is set when a result equals what?
A One
B Maximum value
C Zero
D Negative only
Answer: C. Zero. The zero flag indicates a result of zero.
The sign flag commonly reflects what result property?
A Parity count
B Most significant bit
C Clock pulse
D Stack depth
Answer: B. Most significant bit. For signed representations, the high bit indicates the sign.
The parity flag may indicate parity of what result?
A Memory address
B Instruction length
C Data bits
D Clock cycles
Answer: C. Data bits. Parity flags report even or odd parity in a result byte.
Auxiliary carry records carry between which bit positions?
A Low-order nibbles
B High-order bytes
C Address segments
D Clock phases
Answer: A. Low-order nibbles. Auxiliary carry indicates carry from bit 3 to bit 4 in BCD-related operations.
A subroutine call transfers control and saves what?
A Return address
B All memory contents
C Clock state
D Data bus width
Answer: A. Return address. CALL saves the location to resume after the subroutine.
An interrupt service routine should restore what saved state?
A Memory capacity
B Address decoder
C Processor context
D Peripheral clock only
Answer: C. Processor context. The handler preserves registers and flags needed by interrupted code.
A reentrant routine can be safely called how?
A Before earlier call finishes
B Only after reboot
C Only once
D Without a stack
Answer: A. Before earlier call finishes. Reentrant code can be entered again before a prior invocation completes.
A software delay loop consumes what resource?
A Memory capacity only
B I/O ports
C External interrupts
D Processor cycles
Answer: D. Processor cycles. A delay loop waits by executing instructions for a measured time.
A hardware timer can generate periodic what?
A Machine code
B Address bits
C Stack frames only
D Interrupts
Answer: D. Interrupts. Timers can trigger interrupts at programmed intervals.
A watchdog timer resets or flags a processor if what occurs?
A Cache hit occurs
B Clock runs normally
C Memory is read
D Software stops responding
Answer: D. Software stops responding. A watchdog detects missed periodic service and triggers recovery.
Little-endian storage places least significant byte at what address?
A Highest address
B Middle address
C A separate segment
D Lowest address
Answer: D. Lowest address. Little-endian ordering stores the least significant byte first.
A stack-based subroutine convention passes values using what?
A Stack entries
B Display pixels
C Address bus only
D Clock cycles only
Answer: A. Stack entries. Arguments or local data may be stored in stack frames.
A stack frame may contain local variables and what?
A Saved registers
B Cache tags
C Power rails
D Peripheral clocks
Answer: A. Saved registers. Stack frames often store return data, saved registers and local variables.
A nested interrupt can occur when a handler allows what?
A Higher-priority interrupt
B No reset
C Cache write-back
D Memory refresh
Answer: A. Higher-priority interrupt. Nested interrupts permit higher-priority requests to interrupt a lower-priority handler.
A timer prescaler divides what input?
A Data bus width
B Address range
C Stack size
D Clock frequency
Answer: D. Clock frequency. A prescaler reduces timer input clock rate.
A microprocessor’s instruction throughput depends on clock and what?
A Monitor resolution
B Storage size
C Address labels
D Cycles per instruction
Answer: D. Cycles per instruction. Performance depends on clock rate, instruction count and CPI.
A bus cycle completes a transfer between processor and what?
A Cooling fan
B Memory or peripheral
C Power outlet
D Printed circuit only
Answer: B. Memory or peripheral. Bus cycles implement reads and writes to memory or I/O.