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Computer Architecture And Design

Instructions:

Answer 38 questions in 20 minutes. 2 minutes extra for reading the instructions.
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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 is secondary memory?
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.

2. What is main/primary memory?
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.

3. What is throughput?
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
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 number of tasks completed per unit of time.

4. What is an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?
Points to the current top of the stack
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.
10^9 cycles per sec

5. What are the industry standard benchmarks to measure performance (e.g. - with different vendor chips)?
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
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)
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.

6. Moore's Law
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
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time

7. What is data- level parallelism?
Points to the current top of the stack
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.
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.

8. What is included in the term organization?

9. How can you encode an ISA?
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.

10. What is the $pc register used for?
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
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
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.

11. 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.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Points to the current top of the stack
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.

12. What is non - volatile memory?
Points to the current top of the stack
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

13. What is instruction - level parallelism?
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
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.
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.

14. An example of volatile memory
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
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.

15. What is the $sp register used for?
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Points to the current top of the stack
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.

16. What is thread- level parallelism?
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
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.

17. An example of an improvement that would impact throughput (but not response time).
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.

18. What is the $epc register used for?
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
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)

19. 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
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)
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue

20. What is a real- time performance requirement?
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
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution 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)

21. What does hardware refer to?
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
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.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer

22. What are the base units of GHz?
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
10^9 cycles per sec
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.

23. An example of an improvement that would impact response time (but not throughput).
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
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)
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.

24. How is CPU performance measured?
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time

25. Amdahl's Law
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
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.

26. 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.
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.

27. What is response time?
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.)
10^9 cycles per sec
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.

28. What does jal <proc> do?
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
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

29. One reason why two's compliment is used as opposed to signed magnitude or one's compliment?
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.

30. What are the classes of computing applications (five)?
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
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.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue

31. An example of non - volatile memory
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.

32. What is a supercomputer?
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
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.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer

33. What are the five classic components of a computer?
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.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
10^9 cycles per sec

34. What are the hardware/software components affecting program performance?
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture

35. What are two examples of instruction - level parallelism?
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.

36. What is price performance?
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
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.

37. What is volatile memory?
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
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.)
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.

38. What are embedded computers?
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers