WGU C952 questions with complete solutions
Register File
A state element that consists of a set of registers that can be read and written by supplying a register
number to be accessed.
provides 1024 scalar 32-bit registers for up to 64 threads.
machine language
The language made up of binary-coded instructions that is used directly by the computer
system software
The set of programs that enables a computer's hardware devices and application software to work
together; it includes the operating system and utility programs.
operating system
(computer science) software that controls the execution of computer programs and may provide
various services
Assembly Language
Programming language that has the same structure and set of commands as machine languages but
allows programmers to use symbolic representations of numeric machine code.
IBM 360/91
Introduced many new concepts, including dynamic detection of memory hazards, generalized
forwarding, and reservation stations. Tomasulo's algorithm
The internal organization of the 360/91 shares many features with the Pentium III and Pentium 4, as
well as with several other microprocessors. One major difference was that there was no branch
prediction in the 360/91 and hence no speculation. Another major difference was that there was no
commit unit, so once the instructions finished execution, they updated the registers.
Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM)
Memory built as an integrated circuit; it provides random access to any location. Access times are 50
nanoseconds and cost per gigabyte in 2012 was $5 to $10.
Multiple DRAMs are used together to contain the instructions and data of a program. In contrast to
sequential access memories, such as magnetic tapes, the RAM portion of the term DRAM means that
memory accesses take basically the same amount of time no matter what portion of the memory is
read.
Modern DRAMS consist of rows in each bank
frame buffering
A portion of RAM containing a bitmap that drives a video display. It is a memory buffer containing a
complete frame of data.
The image to be represented onscreen is stored in the frame buffer, and the bit pattern per pixel is
read out to the graphics display at the refresh rate. The animation below shows a frame buffer with a
simplified design of just 4 bits per pixel.
,Datapath
The component of the processor that performs arithmetic operations
Control
The component of the processor that commands the datapath, memory, and I/O devices according to
the instructions of the program.
Integrated circuit
Also called a chip. A device combining dozens to millions of transistors.
Central processor unit (CPU)
Also called processor. The active part of the computer, which contains the datapath and control and
which adds numbers, tests numbers, signals I/O devices to activate, and so on.
Static random access memory (SRAM)
Also memory built as an integrated circuit, but faster and less dense than DRAM.
Instruction set architecture
Also called architecture. An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest-level software
that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run
correctly, including instructions, registers, memory access, I/O, and so on.
Application binary interface (ABI)
The user portion of the instruction set plus the operating system interfaces used by application
programmers. It defines a standard for binary portability across computers.
Volatile memory
Storage, such as DRAM, that retains data only if it is receiving power.
Nonvolatile Memory
A form of memory that retains data even in the absence of a power source and that is used to store
programs between runs. A DVD disk is nonvolatile.
Magnetic disk
Also called hard disk. A form of nonvolatile secondary memory composed of rotating platters coated
with a magnetic recording material. Because they are rotating mechanical devices, access times are
about 5 to 20 milliseconds and cost per gigabyte in 2012 was $0.05 to $0.10
Main memory
Also called primary memory. Memory used to hold programs while they are running; typically consists
of DRAM in today's computers.
Secondary memory
, Nonvolatile memory used to store programs and data between runs; typically consists of flash
memory in PMDs and magnetic disks in servers.
Flash memory
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory. It is cheaper and slower than DRAM but more expensive per bit
and faster than magnetic disks. Access times are about 5 to 50 microseconds and cost per gigabyte in
2012 was $0.75 to $1.00.
Single Instruction Single Data (SISD)
A uniprocessor
Multiple Instruction Multiple Data (MIMD)
A multiprocessor.
Single Program, Multiple Data Streams (SPMD)
The conventional MIMD programming model, where a single program runs across all processors.
Single Instruction Stream, Multiple Data Streams (SIMD)
The same instruction is applied to many data streams, as in a vector processor.
Data-level parallelism
Parallelism achieved by performing the same operation on independent data
LEGv8
assembly instructions
multimedia extensions (MMX)
An expanded set of instructions supported by a processor that provides multimedia-specific functions.
data hazard (pipeline data hazard)
When a planned instruction cannot execute in the proper clock cycle because data that is needed to
execute the instruction are not yet available.
forwarding (bypassing)
A method of resolving a data hazard by retrieving the missing data element from internal buffers
rather than waiting for it to arrive from programmer-visible registers or memory
Structural hazard
When a planned instruction cannot execute in the proper clock cycle because the hardware does not
support the combination of instructions that are set to execute.
Pipelining
Technique that allows the CPU to work on more than one instruction at a time
Formula
Register File
A state element that consists of a set of registers that can be read and written by supplying a register
number to be accessed.
provides 1024 scalar 32-bit registers for up to 64 threads.
machine language
The language made up of binary-coded instructions that is used directly by the computer
system software
The set of programs that enables a computer's hardware devices and application software to work
together; it includes the operating system and utility programs.
operating system
(computer science) software that controls the execution of computer programs and may provide
various services
Assembly Language
Programming language that has the same structure and set of commands as machine languages but
allows programmers to use symbolic representations of numeric machine code.
IBM 360/91
Introduced many new concepts, including dynamic detection of memory hazards, generalized
forwarding, and reservation stations. Tomasulo's algorithm
The internal organization of the 360/91 shares many features with the Pentium III and Pentium 4, as
well as with several other microprocessors. One major difference was that there was no branch
prediction in the 360/91 and hence no speculation. Another major difference was that there was no
commit unit, so once the instructions finished execution, they updated the registers.
Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM)
Memory built as an integrated circuit; it provides random access to any location. Access times are 50
nanoseconds and cost per gigabyte in 2012 was $5 to $10.
Multiple DRAMs are used together to contain the instructions and data of a program. In contrast to
sequential access memories, such as magnetic tapes, the RAM portion of the term DRAM means that
memory accesses take basically the same amount of time no matter what portion of the memory is
read.
Modern DRAMS consist of rows in each bank
frame buffering
A portion of RAM containing a bitmap that drives a video display. It is a memory buffer containing a
complete frame of data.
The image to be represented onscreen is stored in the frame buffer, and the bit pattern per pixel is
read out to the graphics display at the refresh rate. The animation below shows a frame buffer with a
simplified design of just 4 bits per pixel.
,Datapath
The component of the processor that performs arithmetic operations
Control
The component of the processor that commands the datapath, memory, and I/O devices according to
the instructions of the program.
Integrated circuit
Also called a chip. A device combining dozens to millions of transistors.
Central processor unit (CPU)
Also called processor. The active part of the computer, which contains the datapath and control and
which adds numbers, tests numbers, signals I/O devices to activate, and so on.
Static random access memory (SRAM)
Also memory built as an integrated circuit, but faster and less dense than DRAM.
Instruction set architecture
Also called architecture. An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest-level software
that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run
correctly, including instructions, registers, memory access, I/O, and so on.
Application binary interface (ABI)
The user portion of the instruction set plus the operating system interfaces used by application
programmers. It defines a standard for binary portability across computers.
Volatile memory
Storage, such as DRAM, that retains data only if it is receiving power.
Nonvolatile Memory
A form of memory that retains data even in the absence of a power source and that is used to store
programs between runs. A DVD disk is nonvolatile.
Magnetic disk
Also called hard disk. A form of nonvolatile secondary memory composed of rotating platters coated
with a magnetic recording material. Because they are rotating mechanical devices, access times are
about 5 to 20 milliseconds and cost per gigabyte in 2012 was $0.05 to $0.10
Main memory
Also called primary memory. Memory used to hold programs while they are running; typically consists
of DRAM in today's computers.
Secondary memory
, Nonvolatile memory used to store programs and data between runs; typically consists of flash
memory in PMDs and magnetic disks in servers.
Flash memory
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory. It is cheaper and slower than DRAM but more expensive per bit
and faster than magnetic disks. Access times are about 5 to 50 microseconds and cost per gigabyte in
2012 was $0.75 to $1.00.
Single Instruction Single Data (SISD)
A uniprocessor
Multiple Instruction Multiple Data (MIMD)
A multiprocessor.
Single Program, Multiple Data Streams (SPMD)
The conventional MIMD programming model, where a single program runs across all processors.
Single Instruction Stream, Multiple Data Streams (SIMD)
The same instruction is applied to many data streams, as in a vector processor.
Data-level parallelism
Parallelism achieved by performing the same operation on independent data
LEGv8
assembly instructions
multimedia extensions (MMX)
An expanded set of instructions supported by a processor that provides multimedia-specific functions.
data hazard (pipeline data hazard)
When a planned instruction cannot execute in the proper clock cycle because data that is needed to
execute the instruction are not yet available.
forwarding (bypassing)
A method of resolving a data hazard by retrieving the missing data element from internal buffers
rather than waiting for it to arrive from programmer-visible registers or memory
Structural hazard
When a planned instruction cannot execute in the proper clock cycle because the hardware does not
support the combination of instructions that are set to execute.
Pipelining
Technique that allows the CPU to work on more than one instruction at a time
Formula
