Computer Architecture Challenge

What is the main component of a CPU responsible for executing instructions?

• ALU

• GPU

• RAM

• Cache

Explain the concept of cache memory in the memory hierarchy.

• Cache memory is slower than main memory in accessing data.

• Cache memory is a type of long-term storage used for infrequently accessed data.

• Cache memory is only used for storing data that is not critical for system performance.

• Cache memory is a small, high-speed memory unit that stores frequently accessed data and instructions to reduce the average time to access data from the main memory, improving overall system performance.

How do input/output systems communicate with the CPU in a computer system?

• By directly connecting to the RAM

• Through input/output controllers and interrupt signals

• Through USB ports and Ethernet connections

• Via wireless communication protocols

What is the role of an instruction set architecture in computer systems?

• Manages the network connectivity of the computer

• Regulates the power consumption of the processor

• Determines the physical size of the computer system

• Defines the set of instructions a processor can execute and serves as the interface between software and hardware.

Describe the concept of pipelining and its benefits in CPU performance.

• Pipelining has no impact on CPU performance and does not affect instruction processing speed

• Pipelining only allows one instruction to be processed at a time, slowing down overall execution

• Pipelining reduces CPU performance by increasing the time taken to process instructions

• Pipelining improves CPU performance by allowing multiple instructions to be processed simultaneously, reducing the overall time taken to execute a set of instructions.

What is the purpose of the ALU in a CPU?

• To play music

• To brew coffee

• To perform arithmetic and logical operations on data.

• To send emails

Discuss the differences between RAM and ROM in the memory hierarchy.

• RAM stores permanent instructions while ROM is used for temporary data storage.

• RAM and ROM are interchangeable in the memory hierarchy.

• RAM is volatile and used for temporary data storage, while ROM is non-volatile and stores permanent instructions.

• RAM is non-volatile and ROM is volatile.

How does DMA (Direct Memory Access) improve the efficiency of data transfer in input/output systems?

• DMA improves efficiency by enabling direct data transfer between memory and I/O devices without CPU intervention.

• DMA causes data corruption during transfer between memory and I/O devices

• DMA has no impact on data transfer efficiency in input/output systems

• DMA slows down data transfer by adding extra steps for CPU involvement

What are the key components of an instruction in an instruction set architecture?

• microinstructions, cache, pipeline stages

• mnemonic, registers, flags

• opcode, operands, addressing mode

• control signals, data bus, memory address

Explain the concept of parallel processing and its relevance to pipelining techniques.

• Parallel processing involves a single pipeline executing tasks sequentially, slowing down the overall process.

• Pipelining techniques focus on serial processing, ignoring the benefits of parallel processing.

• Parallel processing allows for the simultaneous execution of multiple pipelines in a pipelining technique, enhancing efficiency and reducing processing time.

• Parallel processing and pipelining are unrelated concepts that do not impact each other.