COMP 228 midterm

Define what a computer organization refers to.

It includes all physical aspects of computer systems like circuit design, controll signals, memomy types, etc. It answers the question: How does a computer work?

Define what a computer architecture refers to.

It refers to the logical aspects of system implementation as seen by the programmer like instruction sets, instruction formats, data types, addressing modes, etc. It answers to the question: How do I design a computer?

List the reasons why studying computer organization and architecture is a good thing.

• You learn how to design better programs including system software like compilers, operating systems, and device drivers

• You learn to benchmark (evaluate) computer system performance

• You learn how to optimize program behavior

• You understand time, space, and price tradeoffs better

Is there a clear distinction between matters related to computer organozation and matters regarding computer architecture?

No, as their topics overlap despite their different focuses

State the principle of equivalence of hardware and software

Any task done by software can be done by hardware, and any operation performed directly by hardware can be done using software.

List the three basic level parts of a computer device.

• A processor

• A memory

• A mechanism for transfering data to and from the outside world

Describe what a processor does.

It interprets and executes programs.

Describre what memory does.

It stores both data and programs

What is KILO?

K = 1 thousand = 10³ and 2¹⁰

What is MEGA?

M = 1 million = 10⁶ and 2²⁰

What is GIGA?

G = 1 billion = 10⁹ and 2³⁰

What is TERA ?

T = 1 trillion = 10¹² AND 2⁴⁰

What is PETA?

P = 1 quadrillion = 10¹⁵ and 2⁵⁰

What is EXA?

E = 1 quintillion = 10¹⁸ and 2⁶⁰

What is ZETTA?

Z = 1 sextillion = 10²¹ and 2⁷⁰

What is YOTTA?

Y = 1 septillion = 10²⁴ and 2⁸⁰

What are Hertz (Hz)?

Hertz are a unit of measure for frequency which calculates clock cycles per second.

Give an example of something measured in Hz.

Processor speeds are measured in MHz or GHz

What is a byte?

It is a unit of measure

Give an example of something measured in bytes.

The Main Memory (RAM) is measured in GB, same for disk storage which is measured in GB or TB depending on the systems’ sizes.

What category of unit of measure do kilo, mega, giga, tera, peta, etc belong to

Measures of capacity and speed

What is MILLI ?

m = 1 thousandth = 10^-3

What is MICRO?

μ = 1 millionth = 10^-6

what is NANO?

n = 1 billionth = 10^-9

what is PICO?

p = 1 trillionth = 10^-12

What is FEMTO?

f = 1 quadrillionth = 10^-15

What is ATTO?

a = 1 quintillionth = 10^-18

What is ZEPTO?

z = 1 sextillionth = 10^-21

What is YOCTO?

y = 1 septillionth = 10^-24

What category of unit of measure do milli, micro, nano, pico, etc belong to?

Measures of time and space.

Give an example of something measured in milliseconds.

Hard disk drive access times are around 10 to 20 milliseconds

Give an example of something measured in nanoseconds

main memory access times are often 50 to 70 nanoseconds

Give an example of somehing measured in micron (micrometer)

cicuits on computer chips are measured in microns

What is the relationship between cycle time and clock frequency?

they are each other’s reciprocal. Ex 1.33MHz (cycles/second) = 7.52 ns (nanoseconds)/cycle

What is a computer form factor?

It defines the physical size, shape, and layout of a computer and its components. It determines specifications for major components like the motherboard, power supply, and case.

What is a microprocessor?

It is used interchangeably with the term CPU, but it is essentially and all-in-one CPU on a single chip. It is the “brain” of the computer, and it executes program instructions.

What does RAM stands for and what does it mean?

It stands for Random Access Memory and it means that memory contents can be accessed directly if we know its location.

What is the advantage of a computer having a large main memory capacity as compared to a small one?

Computers with larger RAMs can run larger programs with a greater speed.

What is Cache?

It is a type of memory that can be accessed faster than RAM