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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.
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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. An example of something typically associated with RISC architecture that is not typical in CISC architecture.
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
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 and data are stored in memory as numbers
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.)

2. What is the $epc register used for?
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
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
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.

3. What is a real- time performance requirement?
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.

4. How can you encode an ISA?
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
10^9 cycles per sec
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.

5. Amdahl's Law
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

6. What are the five classic components of a 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.
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
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.

7. What is secondary memory?
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
10^9 cycles per sec
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Points to the next instruction to be executed.

8. What is instruction - level parallelism?
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
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.

9. 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.
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.

10. What are the hardware/software components affecting program performance?
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
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.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.

11. One reason why two's compliment is used as opposed to signed magnitude or one's compliment?
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.

12. Moore's Law
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture

13. An example of an improvement that would impact response time (but not throughput).
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.
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.

14. What is throughput?
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
Points to the current top of the stack
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

15. What is response 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.
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.)
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.

16. What are the base units of GHz?
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Points to the current top of the stack
10^9 cycles per sec
Points to the next instruction to be executed.

17. What is the $sp register used for?
Points to the current top of the stack
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months
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.

18. What are embedded computers?
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
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)
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.

19. What are the industry standard benchmarks to measure performance (e.g. - with different vendor chips)?
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
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.
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.

20. Stored Program Concept
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.

21. What is non - volatile memory?
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
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.

22. What is included in the term organization?

23. What does hardware refer to?
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the 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.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.

24. What does jal <proc> do?
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.
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4

25. What is a supercomputer?
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
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.
Points to the current top of the stack

26. How is CPU performance measured?
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
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.

27. What is price 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)
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
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.

28. What is thread- level parallelism?
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
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.
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.

29. What is volatile memory?
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power

30. What is soft real- time?
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
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.

31. What is data- level parallelism?
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
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.

32. 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.
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.)
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.

33. What are two examples of instruction - level parallelism?
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.)
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue

34. An example of non - 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
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.

35. What are the classes of computing applications (five)?
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
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
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.

36. What is main/primary memory?
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set 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
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.

37. What is the $pc register used for?
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.
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception

38. An example of an improvement that would impact throughput (but not response time).
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.
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
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.)