weaknesses/general

Question 1

List three key features of Von Neumann archicture.

Answer 1

• Memory is organized into addressable read/write storage locations.
• Memory contains both data and instructions
• Programs are executed sequentially using the Fetch-Execute cycle

Question 2

What is “computer architecture”?

Answer 2

The conceptual design and functional behavior of a computer system.

Question 3

What two key points best characterize an operating system?

Answer 3

• Manages hardware resources and provides an interface for applications.
• Achieves resource sharing through time and space multiplexing.

Question 4

Which approach polling or interrupts, is more efficents for real-time systems and high I/O devices?

Answer 4

Interrupts are more efficient for real-time systems and high-speed I/O devices because they allow the CPU to perform other tasks and respond to events only when an I/O device requires attention, minimizing wasted CPU cycles and enabling better multitasking

Question 5

What is the range of digits in a base 14 number system?

Answer 5

0, 1, 2, . . . , 9, A, B, C, D

we will always have one less than our base (which is why E is not included)

note: for any base above 10, we use the convention: A = 10, B = 11, C = 12, …

Question 6

What is the usage of Base 2 (binary) numbers?

Answer 6

Core of computing (bits, logic circuits)

Question 7

What is the usage of Base 8 (octal)

Answer 7

Older computing systems, shorthand for binary

Question 8

what is the usage of Base 10 (Decimal)

Answer 8

Human everyday use

Question 9

What is the usage of Base 16 (Hexadecimal)

Answer 9

Memory addresses, colors, networking

Question 10

An inverter (NOT) gates is the opposite of a _________ gate

Answer 10

buffer

Question 11

Breifly explain, in 1 or 2 sentences, the two ways an operating system shares resources among users

Answer 11

An operating system shares resources among users through time-sharing, where each user gets a time slice of the CPU, and resource allocation, where physical and virtual resources like memory, storage, and I/O devices are distributed based on user needs and system policies.