34. OCR A Level (H046-H446) SLR7 – 1.2 Assembly language and LMC

What were the very first programming languages like?

• High-level languages that were easy to understand

• Direct machine code languages using binary combinations

• Assembly languages with simple mnemonics

• Scripting languages for web development

Answer explanation

The very first programming languages were direct machine code languages using binary combinations, which required programmers to work at the lowest level of the computer's operation.

Why were assembly languages created?

• To support web development

• To substitute binary codes with easier sequences

• To make programming more challenging

• To increase the processing speed of computers

Answer explanation

Assembly languages were created to substitute binary codes with easier sequences, making programming more accessible and efficient.

What classifies all assembly languages?

• High-level languages

• Object-oriented languages

• Low-level languages

• Interpreted languages

Answer explanation

Assembly languages are classified as low-level languages due to their proximity to machine code and hardware operations.

What is the role of an assembler in assembly language programming?

• To directly translate assembly language into binary machine code

• To convert high-level code into machine code

• To interpret scripting languages

• To compile Java code

Answer explanation

The role of an assembler in assembly language programming is to directly translate assembly language into binary machine code.

What is the Little Man Computer (LMC) often used for?

• To design graphical user interfaces

• To help students learn assembly language basics

• To teach web development

• To simulate high-level programming

Answer explanation

The Little Man Computer (LMC) is often used to help students learn assembly language basics, making it the correct choice among the options provided.

How many simple instructions does the LMC instruction set contain?

• 11

• 5

• 100

• 20

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 11 because the LMC instruction set contains a total of 11 simple instructions.

What does the program counter in the LMC CPU store?

• The result of the last operation

• The address of the next instruction in memory

• The first digit of the instruction read from memory

• The contents of the accumulator

Answer explanation

The program counter in the LMC CPU stores the address of the next instruction in memory, allowing the CPU to fetch the next instruction to execute.

What is the maximum number of digits the accumulator in the LMC can hold?

• 2

• 5

• 10

• 3

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 3 because the accumulator in the LMC can hold up to 999 (3 digits) as it is a 3-digit decimal machine.

What does the first digit of an instruction read from memory in the LMC represent?

• The operand

• The address register

• The op code

• The program counter

Answer explanation

The first digit of an instruction in the LMC represents the op code, which specifies the operation to be performed.

What are labels in LMC used for?

• To execute instructions

• To name addresses

• To store data

• To increment the program counter

Answer explanation

Labels in LMC are used to name addresses, allowing for easier reference and organization of memory locations.