Chapter 1

Question 1

Four Basic Computer Functions

Answer 1

1) Data Processing
2) Data Storage
3) Data Movement
4) Control

Question 2

Four Main Structural Components of the Computer

Answer 2

1) CPU: Controls computer operations and perform its data processing functions
2) Main memory: stores data that will be sent to CPU.
3) I/O: moves data between computer and its external environment
4) System Interconnection: Connects between CPU, RAM, and I/O.

Question 3

Multicore computers

Answer 3

• Core: individual processing unit on a processor chip. Equivalent to CPU on a single CPU system. Like parallel CPU’s working at the same time
• Processor: Physical silicon piece that may contain one or more cores. Interpret and executes instruction. (Multicore Processor = Multiple cores)

Question 4

CPU

Answer 4

Contains:

• Control Unit: controls CPU operations
• ALU (Arithmetic and Logic Unit): Performs computer’s data processing function
• Registers: Provide storage internal to the CPU
• CPU Interconnection: Communicates between Control Unit, ALU, and registers.

Question 5

Cache Memory

Answer 5

• Located between CPU and RAM (Closer to CPU)
• Smaller and faster than RAM
• Speed up memory access by placing in cache data from main memory.
• Greater performance obtained by multiple levels of cache such as L1, L2, L3. L1 closest to the core and fastest. L2 and L3 becomes bigger and slower.

Question 6

IAS COMPUTER - Registers

Answer 6

• Memory Buffer Register (MBR): Contains a word to be stored in memory or sent to I/O. It can also receive a word from main memory and store it. 40 bits length
• Memory Address Register (MAR):
  Specifies the address of the word to be written or read into MBR. 12 bits length
• Instruction Register (IR): 8-bit opcode instruction being executed
• Instruction buffer register (IBR): temporarily hold right-hand instruction from word in memory
• Program Counter (PC): Contains address of next instruction pair to be fetched from memory. 12 bits
• Accumulator (AC): 40 bits. Temporarily holds operands and results of ALU operations.

Memory divided into 40 bits: 20 left instruction and 20 right instruction. For each instruction, 12 bits of address and 8 bits of opcode.

Question 7

Common Terms

Answer 7

• A gate is a device that implements a simple Boolean or logical function.
• The memory cellis a device that can store one bit of data; that is, the device can be in one of two stable states at any time.
• Transistor: The fundamental building block of digital circuits used to construct processors, memories, and other digital logic devices.
  Moore realized that number of transistors on one chip doubles every two years.
  Consequences:
  1) electrical path shortened, increasing operating speeds.
  2) Computer becomes smaller. and lighter
  3) Reduction in power and cooling requirements
  4) Fewer interchip connections
  5) computer logic and memory has fallen in terms of price.