the buses: extended

How can the processor access a word?

Each word in memory has its own specific address, so it first puts the address of the desired word on the address bus.

What determines the maximum possible memory capacity of the system?

The width of the address bus

For example, if the address bus consisted of only 8 lines then the maximum address it could transmit would be 11111111 (255), giving a maximum memory capacity of 256 (including address 0)

What is the memory capacity of an average PC?

4GiB, with a system with a 32-bit address bus

What does the data bus transmit?

The data held in a word of memory

What is the size of the operand that can be held in a word related to?

The data bus

For example, if the data bus is 16 bits wide, a word cannot hold an integer greater than 2¹⁶ - 1

Answer question 2

a) assembly language

b) highest = 255

lowest = 0

c) 8 bits

(for b and c look at the operand)