Computer Organization and Architecture

Sheet 1

Q1: True/False Questions

1. Computer organization refers to attributes of a system visible to the programmer.

a. True
b. False
2. A computer must be able to process, store, move, and control data.

a. True
b. False

3. The IAS is the prototype of all subsequent general-purpose computers.

a. True
b. False

4. Structure is the operation of individual components as part of the system.

a.True
b. False
5. At a top level, a computer consists of CPU, memory, and I/O components.
a. True
b. False
6. Data processing from/to storages requires interaction with data movement apparatus
a. True
b. False
7. Interrupts do not improve processing efficiency.
a. True
b. False
8. Computer systems contain a number of different buses that provide pathways between
components at various levels of the computer system hierarchy.
a. True
b. False
9. The method of using the same lines for multiple purposes is known as time multiplexing.
a. True
b. False
10. Data communication is when data are received from or delivered to a device that
is directly connected to the computer.
a. True
b. False
11. Program Counter (PC) holds address of next instruction to fetch.
a. True
b. False
12. A key requirement for PCIe is high capacity to support the needs of higher data
rate I/O devices such as Gigabit Ethernet.
 a. True
b. False

Q2. Choose the correct answer

1. When data are moved over longer distances, to or from a remote device, the
process is known as __________.

a. data communications
b. registering
c. structuring
d. data transport

2.The control signals are issued by the ……………………………..

a. Control unit
b. Decoder
c. ALU
d. DSP

3. The correct order of the instruction cycle is …………………….

a. Execute, then fetch
b. Fetch, then Execute
c. both are correct
d. both are incorrect

4. The processor fetches the instruction from memory location pointed by ……

a. AR
b. PC
c. DR
d. IR
5. All the following can generate interrupts except ……………….
a. Overflow
b. Division by 0
c. Control unit
d. I/O
6. The last step after processing the interrupt is …………………….
a. Save context
b. Increment PC
c. Restore context
d. Decode
7. The von Neumann architecture is based on which concept?
a. data and instructions are stored in a single read-write memory
b. the contents of this memory are addressable by location
c. execution occurs in a sequential fashion
d. all of the above

8. The interconnection structure must support which transfer?

a. memory to processor
b. processor to memory
c. I/O to or from memory
d. all of the above

9. A bus that connects major computer components (processor, memory, I/O) is

called a __________.
a. system bus
b. address bus
c. data bus
d. control bus
10. The use of multiple processors on the same chip is referred to as __________
and provides the potential to increase performance without increasing the clock rate.
A. multicore
B. GPU
C. data channels
D. MPC

Q3.Complete the following sentences

1. The most common classes of interrupts are: program, timer, I/O and
________.hardware failure
2. A __________ is a communication pathway connecting two or more devices.
BUS
3. The __________ is a popular high-bandwidth, processor-independent bus
that can function as a mezzanine or peripheral bus. PCI
4. The four main structural components of the computer are: main memory, I/O,
system interconnection, and __________. CPU
5. The _________ controls the operation of the CPU and hence the computer.

Control unit

Q4. Answer the following Questions

1. What is the difference between computer organization and architecture?

The components from which computers are built, i.e., computer organization.
Computer architecture is the science of integrating those components to
achieve a level of functionality and performance.

2. What is the difference between structure and function in computer

organization?
Structure
The way in which components relate to each other
Function
The operation of individual components as part of the structure
 3. What are the four main functions of a computer?
Data processing
Data storage
Data movement
Control

4. List and briefly define the main structural components of a computer.

Central processing unit (CPU): Controls the operation of the computer
and performs its data processing functions; often simply referred to as
processor.
Main memory: Store data.
I/O: Moves data between the computer and its external environment.
System interconnection: Some mechanism that provides for
communication among CPU, main memory, and I/O. A common example
of system interconnection is by means of a system bus, consisting of a
number of conducting wires to which all the other components attach.

5. List and briefly define the main structural components of a processor.

Control unit: Controls the operation of the CPU and hence the computer
Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU): Performs the computer’s data processing
functions.
Registers: Provides storage internal to the CPU.
CPU interconnection: Some mechanism that provides for communication
among the control unit, ALU, and registers.

6. What types of transfers must a computer’s interconnection structure (e.g.,

bus) support?
The interconnection structure must support the following types of transfers:
• Memory to processor: The processor reads an instruction or a unit of
data from memory.
• Processor to memory: The processor writes a unit of data to memory.
• I/O to processor: The processor reads data from an I/O device via an
I/O module.
• Processor to I/O: The processor sends data to the I/O device.
• I/O to or from memory: For these two cases, an I/O module is
allowed to exchange data directly with memory, without going
through the processor, using direct memory access.

7. List and briefly define two approaches to dealing with multiple interrupts.
• (1)Disable all interrupts while an interrupt is being processed.
• (2)Define priorities for interrupts and to allow an interrupt of higher
priority to cause a lower-priority interrupt handler to be interrupted
 8. Discuss the CPU procedures to handle Pending Interrupt.
If interrupt is pending:

1) Suspend execution of current program

2) Save context
3) Set PC to start address of interrupt handler routine
4) Process interrupt
5) Restore context and continue interrupted (current) program

9. Draw the instruction cycle with Interrupts.

Fetch Cycle Execute Cycle Interrupt Cycle

Interrupts
Disabled
Check for
Fetch Next Execute
START Interrupt;
Instruction Instruction Interrupts Process Interrupt
Enabled

HALT

Figurehas
Q5. The hypothetical machine 3.9two
Instruction Cycle with Interrupts
I/O instructions:
0011 Load AC from I/O
0011 Store AC to I/O
12-bit address identifies a particular I/O device. Show the program execution for the
following program:
1. Load AC from device 5.
2. Add contents of memory location 940.
3. Store AC to device 6.
Assume that the next value retrieved from device 5 is 3 and that location 940 contains
a value of 2.
 Q6. Suppose we have two implementations of the same instruction set architecture.
Computer A has a clock cycle time of 250 ps and a CPI of 2.0 for some program, and
computer B has a clock cycle time of 500 ps and a CPI of 1.2 for the same program.
Which computer is faster for this program and by how much?

First, find the number of processor clock cycles for each computer:
CPU clock cyclesA=I×2.0 CPU clock cyclesB=I×1.2
Now we can compute the CPU time for each computer: CPU timeA=CPU clock cyclesA×Clock
cycle time=I×2.0×250ps=500×Ips
Likewise, for B: CPU timeB=I×1.2×500ps=600×Ips
Clearly, computer A is faster. The amount faster is given by the ratio of the execution times:
CPU performanceA/ CPU performanceB=Execution timeB /Execution timeA
=600×Ips500×Ips=1.2
We can conclude that computer A is 1.2 times as fast as computer B for this program.