Assembly Language for x86 Processors - Chapter 1

These flashcards cover fundamental concepts and applications related to assembly language, virtual machines, and data representation as introduced in the first chapter.

What is the focus of Chapter 1 in the Assembly Language for x86 Processors?

Introduction to assembly language concepts, including the virtual machine concept, data representation, and boolean operations.

What are some applications of assembly language?

Business applications, hardware device drivers, multi-platform applications, embedded systems, and computer games.

How does assembly language relate to machine language?

Assembly language has a one-to-one correspondence with machine language, translating directly into machine instructions.

What is a virtual machine according to Tanenbaum?

A native machine language (L0) that runs directly on hardware with a more human-friendly language (L1) constructed above it.

What is the role of an assembler?

An assembler translates assembly language programs into machine code that can be executed by the computer's hardware.

What is the significance of the most significant bit (MSB) in binary numbers?

It indicates the highest value position and can denote the sign of a signed integer.

What is the process of converting decimal numbers to binary?

Repeatedly divide the decimal integer by 2, recording each remainder as a binary digit.

What does the hexadecimal system represent in terms of binary?

Each hexadecimal digit corresponds to 4 binary bits.

What is the largest positive value that can be stored in 20 bits?

The range of values is limited because the highest bit is reserved for the sign in signed integers.

What are the basic boolean operations?

NOT, AND, OR, and their corresponding truth tables.