Types of Processor

Question 1

What does CISC and RISC stand for?

Answer 1

CISC - Complex Instruction Set Computing

RISC - Reduced Instruction Set Computing

Question 2

What are CISC processors?

Answer 2

CISC CPUs have a wide instruction set so they are readily available to programmers to write efficient code.

Question 3

What are RISC processors?

Answer 3

RISC CPUs have a narrower instruction set than CISC, meaning the CPU can access and process data faster.

Question 4

What are the advantages to CISC processors?

Answer 4

• Require less memory
• Few registers are required
• Less programming code is required

Question 5

What are the disadvantages to CISC processors?

Answer 5

• Several clock cycles required for one instruction
• More complex hardware is required
• Requires a larger and more complex CPU with many transistors
• More heat from transistors so requires bigger heat sink
• More transistors so costs more and uses more power

Question 6

What are the advantages to RISC processors?

Answer 6

• Simpler hardware is required
• Single clock cycle for one instruction
• Fewer transistors, so costs less than CISC processors and uses less power

Question 7

What are the disadvantages to RISC processors?

Answer 7

• More programming required
• More registers are required
• Requires more RAM

Question 8

Where are CISC processors used?

Answer 8

Desktops, Laptops and Supercomputers

Question 9

Where are RISC processors used?

Answer 9

Small portable devices, phones and tablets

Question 10

Describe a Multi-Core CPU

Answer 10

A multi-core CPU is a processor with multiple cores or multiple ALUs and other register within a single CPU chip and this requires a CU to coordinate all the cores

Question 11

Name some limitations of multi-core CPUs

Answer 11

• Dependent on problems being efficiently broken down so each sub-problem can be solved independently, which can take up some processing ability and slow down the CPU
• Programmers must write code specific to make full use of a multi-core CPU construction

Question 12

What is a GPU?

Answer 12

A Graphical Processing Unit renders graphics as a discrete unit to the CPU in order to take load off of the CPU and speed up the system as a whole.
The CPU will send any graphical related tasks to the GPU to run in parallel to the processes being performed on the CPU

Question 13

List some uses of GPUs

Answer 13

• AI or deep learning algorithms
• Breaking Encryption Schemes
• Scientific modelling of physical systems
• Real-time signal processing

Question 14

What is pipelining?

Answer 14

The technique of fetching an instruction whilst the prior one is being decoded and the one before that is being executing, speeding up the CPU as multiple instructions can be processed at the same time