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Computer Architecture And Design

Instructions:

Answer 38 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. What does hardware refer to?
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.

2. What is the $sp register used for?
Points to the current top of the stack
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue

3. What is throughput?
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
10^9 cycles per sec

4. How can you encode an ISA?
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.

5. What are the base units of GHz?
10^9 cycles per sec
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.

6. What are embedded computers?
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.

7. What is instruction - level parallelism?
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.
The total time required for the computer to to complete a task. (Includes disk accesses - memory accesses - I/O activities - OS overhead - and CPU execution time.)
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.

8. What is the $epc register used for?
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception

9. What are the five classic components of a computer?
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.

10. What are the industry standard benchmarks to measure performance (e.g. - with different vendor chips)?
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.

11. Moore's Law
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.

12. What are the hardware/software components affecting program performance?
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
10^9 cycles per sec

13. Stored Program Concept
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
High- level aspects of a computer's design - such as the memory system - the memory interconnect - and the design of the internal processor or CPU (central processing unit
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time

14. What is included in the term organization?

15. An example of an improvement that would impact response time (but not throughput).
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing

16. What is a supercomputer?
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
Also called DLP. A form of parallelization of computing across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing the data across different parallel computing nodes.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4

17. What does jal <proc> do?
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.

18. An example of something typically associated with RISC architecture that is not typical in CISC architecture.
High- level aspects of a computer's design - such as the memory system - the memory interconnect - and the design of the internal processor or CPU (central processing unit
Also called TLP. A form of parallelization of computer code across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing execution processes (threads) across different parallel computing nodes.
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months

19. What is non - volatile memory?
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4

20. What is soft real- time?
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power

21. What is a real- time performance requirement?
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.

22. What is thread- level parallelism?
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
Also called TLP. A form of parallelization of computer code across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing execution processes (threads) across different parallel computing nodes.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.

23. An example of an improvement that would impact throughput (but not response time).
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.

24. How is CPU performance measured?
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months

25. Amdahl's Law
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)

26. An example of non - volatile memory
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
High- level aspects of a computer's design - such as the memory system - the memory interconnect - and the design of the internal processor or CPU (central processing unit

27. An example of volatile memory
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4

28. One reason why two's compliment is used as opposed to signed magnitude or one's compliment?
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.

29. What is secondary memory?
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

30. What is an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.

31. What is main/primary memory?
Also called DLP. A form of parallelization of computing across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing the data across different parallel computing nodes.
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
The total time required for the computer to to complete a task. (Includes disk accesses - memory accesses - I/O activities - OS overhead - and CPU execution time.)

32. What is data- level parallelism?
Also called DLP. A form of parallelization of computing across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing the data across different parallel computing nodes.
Points to the current top of the stack
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.

33. What is response time?
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
The total time required for the computer to to complete a task. (Includes disk accesses - memory accesses - I/O activities - OS overhead - and CPU execution time.)

34. What are the classes of computing applications (five)?
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.

35. What is the $pc register used for?
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.

36. What are two examples of instruction - level parallelism?
The total time required for the computer to to complete a task. (Includes disk accesses - memory accesses - I/O activities - OS overhead - and CPU execution time.)
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Also called DLP. A form of parallelization of computing across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing the data across different parallel computing nodes.

37. What is price performance?
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
High- level aspects of a computer's design - such as the memory system - the memory interconnect - and the design of the internal processor or CPU (central processing unit

38. What is volatile memory?
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.