Computer Architecture

What are the 4 fundamental components of the von Neumann machine?

• input/output

• ALU

• Control Unit

• Memory Unit

• Buses

Computers are able to be programmed because of the s_____ p______ c______

In a von Neumann computer, where are the program instructions stored?

• memory

• storage

• buses

• buffers

Which is not a register?

• PC

• MAR

• MDR

• CIR

• ALU

What are the steps of the fetch decode execute cycle

• Value in PC is sent to MAR

• PC increments by 1

• Address in MAR is sent along address bus, "read" signal is sent along control bus

• instruction from memory address (sent from MAR) is sent along data bus to MDR

• instruction in MDR is sent to CIR, is then decoded and executed

What are the steps of reading from memory to the CPU

• Address to read is put into MAR

• Value in MAR is sent along address bus, a "read" signal is sent along the control bus

• Data pointed to by address (in MAR) is sent along data bus to MDR

• Data is now in MDR

Which bus is always bidirectional?

• data

• control

• system

• address

Which bus is always unidirectional?

• data

• control

• system

• address

What are the steps for handling an interrupt?

• An interrupt request is sent to the CPU

• The CPU saves the state (PC, MAR, MDR, CIR) of the instruction it is working on

• The CPU handles the interrupt request

• The interrupt request is finished

• The CPU loads the state of the instruction it was working on and continues processing

Which things below affect the performance of a CPU?

• clock speed

• number of cores

• size of cache

• width of CIR

• reliability of control bus