CS6303 Computer Architecture B.E Question Bank : dsirt.ac.in
Name of the Institute : Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Research and Technology
University : Anna University
Degree : B.E
Department : Computer Science & Engineering
Subject Code/Name : CS6303 Computer Architecture
Year : 2nd
Semester : 3rd
Document Type : Question Bank
Website : dsirt.ac.in
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DSIRT Computer Architecture Question Bank
Unit –I :
What are cache memory? :
Related : DSIRT CS6302 Database Management Systems B.E Question Bank : www.pdfquestion.in/3177.html
The small and fast RAM units are called as caches.when the execution of an instruction calls for data located in the main memory,the data are fetched and a copy is placed in the cache.Later if the same data is required it is read directly from the cache.
2. What is the function of ALU? :
Most of the computer operations(arithmetic and logic) are performed in ALU.The data required for the operation is brought by the processor and the operation is performed by the ALU.
3. What is the function of CU? :
The control unit acts as the nerve center,that coordinates all the computer operations. It issues timing signals that governs the data transfer.
4. What are basic operations of a computer? :
The basic operations are READ and WRITE.
5. What are the registers generally contained in the processor? :
MAR-Memory Address Register
MDR-Memory Data Register
IR-Instruction Register
R0-Rn-General purpose Registers
PC-ProgramCounter
6. What are the steps in executing a program? :
1.Fetch
2.Decode
3.Execute
4.Store
7. Define interrupt :
An interrupt is a request from an I/O device for service by the processor. The processor provides the requested service by executing the interrupt service routine.
8. Define Bus? :
A group of lines that serves as a connecting path for several devices is called a bus.
9. What is the use of buffer register? :
The buffer register is used to avoid speed mismatch between the I/O device and the processor.
10. Compare single bus structure and multiple bus structure? :
A system that contains only one bus(i.e only one transfer at a time) is called as a single bus structure. A system is called as multiple bus structure if it contains multiple buses.
11. What is System Software? : Give an example?:
It is a collection of programs that are executed as needed to perform functions such as
** Receiving and interpreting user commands
** Entering and editing application programs and storing them as files in secondary storage devices.
Ex : Assembler, Linker, Compiler etc
12.What is Application Software? : Give an example?:
Application programs are usually written in a high- level programming language, in which the programmer specifies mathematical or text-processing operations. These operations are described in a format that is independent of the particular computer used to execute the program.
Ex : C, C++, JAVA
13. What is a compiler? :
A system software program called a compiler translates the high- level language program into a suitable machine language program containing instructions such as theAdd and Load instructions.
14. What is text editor? :
It is used for entering and editing application programs. The user of this program interactively executes command that allow statements of a source program entered at a keyboard to be accumulated in a file.
15. Discuss about OS as system software? :
OS is a large program,or actually a collection of routines,that is used to control individual application programs.
16. What is multiprogrraming or multitasking? :
The operating system manages the concurrent execution of several application programs to make the best possible uses of computer resources.this pattern of concurrent execution is called multiprogrraming or multitasking.
17.What is elapsed time of computer system? :
The total time to execute the total program is called elapsed time.it is affected by the speed of the processor,the disk and the printer.
18. What is processor time of a program? :
The periods during which the processor is active is called processor time of a programIt depends on the hardware involved in the execution of individual machine instructions.
19. Define clock rate? :
The clock rate is given by,
R=1/P,where P is the length of one clock cycle.
20. Write down the basic performance equation? :
T=N*S/R
T=processor time N=no of
instructions S=no of steps
R=clock rate
21.What is pipelining? :
The overlapping of execution of successive instructions is called pipelining.
22. What is byte addressable memory? :
The assignment of successive addresses to successive byte locations in the memory is called byte addressable memory.
23. What is big endian and little endian format? :
The name big endian is used when lower byte addresses are used for the more significiant of the word.The name little endian is used for the less significiant bytes of the word.
24. What is a branch instruction? :
Branch instruction is a type of instruction which loads a new value into the program counter.
25. What is branch target? :
As a result of branch instructions , the processor fetches and executes
26.What are condition code flags? :
The processor keep track of information about the results of various operations for use by subsequent conditional branch instructions. This is accomplished by recording the required information in individual bits, often called condition code flags.
27.Define addressing mode.
The different ways in which the location of an operand is specified in an instruction are referred to as addressing modes.
28.Define various addressing modes :
The various addressing modes are
1.Absolute addressing mode
2.Register addressing mode
3.Indirect addressing mode
4.Index addressing mode
5.Immediate addressing mode
6.Relative addressing mode
7.Autoincrement addressing mode
8.Autodecrement addressing mode
29.What is a pointer? :
The register or memory location that contains the address of an operand is called a pointer.
30.What is index register? :
In index mode the effective address of the operand is generated by adding a constant value to the contents of a register. The register used may be either a special register or may be any one of a set of general purpose registers in the processor. This register is referred to as an index register.