What is Clock Speed?
Number of cycles per second, measured in hertz (Hz)
Clock speed determines how fast a CPU can process instructions.
Define Cache in Computing
Temporary storage of data and instructions being read to and written from, located on or near the CPU
Cache helps speed up data access for the CPU.
What is a Core in the context of CPU’s?
Complete copy of a CPU. (1 core = 1 FDE cycle)
FDE = Fetch, Decode, Execute
What does Pipelining refer to in CPU architecture?
The process of fetching one instruction while executing another, which enables higher throughput of instructions in the CPU
Pipelining improves CPU efficiency.
What is pipelining?
A technique where the CPU overlaps the fetch, decode, and execute stages of multiple instructions to improve throughput.
What is the main purpose of pipelining?
To increase instruction throughput (more instructions per unit of time).
Does pipelining make each instruction faster?
No — each instruction takes the same time, but more are completed overall because they overlap.
Give an analogy for pipelining.
Like an assembly line: while one worker starts a new task, another finishes the previous one.
What is branch prediction?
The CPU guesses the outcome of a branch (e.g., an IF statement) to keep the pipeline full.
What is flushing the pipeline?
Clearing (or discarding) instructions that were incorrectly loaded into the pipeline.
When does flushing usually occur?
When branch prediction is wrong or when a jump/branch changes the flow of execution.
Why does flushing reduce performance?
Because the CPU has to throw away work already in the pipeline and restart with the correct instruction.
How does pipelining affect CPU performance overall?
It improves performance by executing more instructions per second, but hazards and flushing can reduce efficiency.
