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Worksheets3.4.5 Systems architecture - End of Topic Recap
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
Five components of a CPU are listed: A Bus, B Arithmetic Logic Unit, C Control Unit, D Clock, E Register. For each row in the table below, choose the letter A, B, C, D or E that best matches the description. Letters should not be used more than once. Which letter matches the description: Sends a continuous series of electronic pulses?
A
B
C
D
E
Five components of a CPU are listed: A Bus, B Arithmetic Logic Unit, C Control Unit, D Clock, E Register. For each row in the table below, choose the letter A, B, C, D or E that best matches the description. Letters should not be used more than once. Which letter matches the description: Decodes the current instruction?
A
B
C
D
E
Five components of a CPU are listed: A Bus, B Arithmetic Logic Unit, C Control Unit, D Clock, E Register. For each row in the table below, choose the letter A, B, C, D or E that best matches the description. Letters should not be used more than once. Which letter matches the description: Completes calculations?
A
B
C
D
E
Two typical secondary storage devices, with the same cost, are advertised as follows. Device A: Solid state drive, capacity 128GB. Device B: Magnetic hard drive, capacity 1TB. State one reason why Device B could be considered a better choice than Device A.
Greater storage capacity
Lower power consumption
Quieter operation
More resistant to shock
Two typical secondary storage devices, with the same cost, are advertised as follows. Device A: Solid state drive, capacity 128GB. Device B: Magnetic hard drive, capacity 1TB. State two reasons why Device A could be considered a better choice than Device B. Select all that apply.
Faster data access
More resistant to physical shock
Lower capacity at the same cost
Contains moving parts
A typical computer’s main memory consists of both volatile memory and non-volatile memory. What is meant by volatile memory?
Data is lost when power is turned off
Data is permanently written and cannot be changed
Data can only be read, not written
Data is stored on external devices
A typical computer’s main memory consists of both volatile memory and non-volatile memory. What is normally stored in the non-volatile part of a computer’s main memory?
Firmware such as the boot program
The currently running applications
User documents and media files
Virtual memory swap space
A student compared solid state drives, magnetic hard drives and optical media such as CDs. Excluding the already identified error “A solid state drive contains moving parts,” which statements from the student’s answer are factually incorrect? Select all that apply. Statements: (i) A solid state drive does not use a laser to read data but hard drives and optical media both do. (ii) Both solid state drives and hard drives can have large storage capacities but a hard drive’s capacity is commonly greater. (iii) Data is read more quickly from a hard drive than from a normal CD. (iv) Data is read more quickly from a hard drive than from a solid state drive.
(i) Hard drives use a laser to read data
(ii) Hard drives commonly have greater capacity than SSDs
(iii) Hard drives read data faster than CDs
(iv) Hard drives read data faster than SSDs
Many computers use the Von Neumann architecture. In a computer that uses the Von Neumann architecture, bit patterns can be stored in the main memory. What can these bit patterns represent? Choose one option.
Data
Instructions
Data and instructions
Data or instructions, but not both
An SD card is a type of solid state storage. State two advantages of solid state storage compared to magnetic storage. Select all that apply.
Faster data access
More resistant to physical shock
Typically cheaper per gigabyte
Uses moving parts
The diagram shows a simplified diagram of the Fetch–Execute cycle with three boxes in sequence. The first box is labeled Fetch, the third box is labeled Execute, and the middle box is blank. Arrows indicate the cycle flows from Fetch to the blank box to Execute and loops back. Fill in the name of the missing stage in the diagram.
Decode
Store
Write-back
Load
When comparing two storage media, which reason explains choosing one over the other in terms of capacity: which statement is correct?
It has a larger storage capacity
It has more moving parts
It generates more heat
It is louder
Which of the following are typical advantages of solid state storage over magnetic storage? Select all that apply.
Higher read/write speed
Smaller physical size
More robust against shocks
Generates less heat
Louder during operation
Which statement best describes volatile memory?
Memory content is lost when power is turned off
Memory retains data without power permanently
Memory cannot be changed once written
Memory is only for long-term archival storage
What is typically stored in ROM?
The computer's BIOS or initial boot instructions
User documents and files
The operating system loaded on the hard drive during use
Installed application programs
How does a hard disk drive read data?
Using magnets to detect changes on spinning platters
Using a laser to read reflective surfaces
By measuring electric charge stored in cells
By optical reflection from pits and lands like a CD
Which storage device typically reads data more quickly?
Solid state drive (SSD)
Hard disk drive (HDD)
They have identical read speeds
It depends only on capacity, not technology
During processing, what is stored in main memory?
Data only
Instructions only
Data and instructions
Device drivers only
In the fetch–___–execute cycle, what word correctly completes the blank?
decode
compile
encrypt
transfer
How confident are we about the topic 3.4 Computer systems?
Super Confident
Pretty confident
So-So
Need to revisit
