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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 are embedded computers?
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.

2. What is soft real- time?
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
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.
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.

3. What is data- level parallelism?
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.
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.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing

4. What are the industry standard benchmarks to measure performance (e.g. - with different vendor chips)?
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
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.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
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)

5. What is included in the term organization?

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6. What is a real- time performance requirement?
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.

7. What is the $epc register used for?
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
Points to the next instruction to be executed.

8. An example of an improvement that would impact response time (but not throughput).
Points to the current top of the stack
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
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.)
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4

9. What are the five classic components of a computer?
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months

10. What is secondary memory?
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.

11. One reason why two's compliment is used as opposed to signed magnitude or one's compliment?
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
Points to the current top of the stack

12. What is non - volatile memory?
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers

13. What is a supercomputer?
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
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)
Points to the current top of the stack
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.

14. What is volatile memory?
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power

15. What is throughput?
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

16. What is an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?
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
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.
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.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time

17. How is CPU performance measured?
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
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
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.

18. What is thread- level parallelism?
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.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue

19. What are the hardware/software components affecting program performance?
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.

20. What does hardware refer to?
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
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.

21. An example of an improvement that would impact throughput (but not response time).
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.

22. Amdahl's Law
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
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
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.

23. How can you encode an ISA?
10^9 cycles per sec
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

24. An example of something typically associated with RISC architecture that is not typical in CISC architecture.
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
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)
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
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.

25. An example of non - volatile memory
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.

26. What are the classes of computing applications (five)?
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
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.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.

27. What is main/primary memory?
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
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

28. 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
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer

29. An example of volatile memory
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
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.
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.

30. What is the $sp register used for?
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
Points to the current top of the stack
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.

31. What is instruction - level parallelism?
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.
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
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Points to the current top of the stack

32. What are two examples of instruction - level parallelism?
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time

33. Moore's Law
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months

34. What is response time?
10^9 cycles per sec
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
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.)

35. What is price performance?
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
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 number of tasks completed per unit of time.
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.

36. What are the base units of GHz?
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
10^9 cycles per sec

37. What is the $pc register used for?
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control

38. Stored Program Concept
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.