C952 - Computer Architecture
WGU C952-Computer Architecture Exam
Questions and Answers 2025-2026
Personal computer (PC) - Correct Ans-A computer designed for use by an individual,
usually incorporating a graphics display, a keyboard, and a mouse.
Server - Correct Ans-A computer used for running larger programs for multiple users,
often simultaneously, and typically accessed only via a network.
Supercomputer: - Correct Ans-A class of computers with the highest performance and
cost; they are configured as servers and typically cost tens to hundreds of millions of
dollars.
Embedded computer: - Correct Ans-A computer inside another device used for running
one predetermined application or collection of software.
Personal mobile devices (PMDs) - Correct Ans-are small wireless devices to connect to
the Internet; they rely on batteries for power, and software is installed by downloading
apps. Conventional examples are smart phones and tablets.
Cloud computing - Correct Ans-refers to large collections of servers that provide
services over the Internet; some providers rent dynamically varying numbers of servers
as a utility.
Software as a Service (SaaS) - Correct Ans-delivers software and data as a service
over the Internet, usually via a thin program such as a browser that runs on local client
devices, instead of binary code that must be installed, and runs wholly on that device.
Examples include web search and social networking.
Multicore microprocessor - Correct Ans-A microprocessor containing multiple
processors ("cores") in a single integrated circuit.
Acronym - Correct Ans-A word constructed by taking the initial letters of a string of
words. For example: RAM is an acronym for Random Access Memory, and CPU is an
acronym for Central Processing Unit.
Terabyte (TB): - Correct Ans-Originally 1,099,511,627,776 (240) bytes, although
communications and secondary storage systems developers started using the term to
mean 1,000,000,000,000 (1012) bytes. To reduce confusion, we now use the term
tebibyte (TiB) for 240 bytes, defining terabyte (TB) to mean 1012 bytes. The figure
below shows the full range of decimal and binary values and names.
Systems software: - Correct Ans-Software that provides services that are commonly
useful, including operating systems, compilers, loaders, and assemblers.
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,C952 - Computer Architecture
Operating system - Correct Ans-Supervising program that manages the resources of a
computer for the benefit of the programs that run on that computer.
Compiler - Correct Ans-A program that translates high-level language statements into
assembly language statements.
Binary digit - Correct Ans-Also called a bit. One of the two numbers in base 2 (0 or 1)
that are the components of information.
Instruction - Correct Ans-A command that computer hardware understands and obeys
Assembler - Correct Ans-A program that translates a symbolic version of instructions
into the binary version.
Assembly language - Correct Ans-A symbolic representation of machine instructions.
Machine language - Correct Ans-A binary representation of machine instructions
High-level programming language - Correct Ans-A portable language such as C, C++,
Java, or Visual Basic that is composed of words and algebraic notation that can be
translated by a compiler into assembly language.
Input device - Correct Ans-A mechanism through which the computer is fed information,
such as a keyboard.
Output device - Correct Ans-A mechanism that conveys the result of a computation to a
user, such as a display, or to another computer
Liquid crystal display: - Correct Ans-A display technology using a thin layer of liquid
polymers that can be used to transmit or block light according to whether a charge is
applied.
Active matrix display - Correct Ans-A liquid crystal display using a transistor to control
the transmission of light at each individual pixel.
Pixel - Correct Ans-The smallest individual picture element. Screens are composed of
hundreds of thousands to millions of pixels, organized in a matrix.
Integrated circuit - Correct Ans-Also called a chip. A device combining dozens to
millions of transistors.
Central processor unit (CPU) - Correct Ans-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.
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, C952 - Computer Architecture
Datapath - Correct Ans-The component of the processor that performs arithmetic
operations.
Control - Correct Ans-The component of the processor that commands the datapath,
memory, and I/O devices according to the instructions of the program.
Memory - Correct Ans-The storage area in which programs are kept when they are
running and that contains the data needed by the running programs.
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) - Correct Ans-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.
Cache memory - Correct Ans-A small, fast memory that acts as a buffer for a slower,
larger memory.
Static random access memory (SRAM): - Correct Ans-Also memory built as an
integrated circuit, but faster and less dense than DRAM.
Instruction set architecture - Correct Ans-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) - Correct Ans-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.
Implementation - Correct Ans-Hardware that obeys the architecture abstraction
Volatile memory - Correct Ans-Storage, such as DRAM, that retains data only if it is
receiving power.
Nonvolatile memory - Correct Ans-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.
Main memory - Correct Ans-Also called primary memory. Memory used to hold
programs while they are running; typically consists of DRAM in today's computers.
Secondary memory - Correct Ans-Nonvolatile memory used to store programs and data
between runs; typically consists of flash memory in PMDs and magnetic disks in
servers.
Magnetic disk - Correct Ans-Also called hard disk. A form of nonvolatile secondary
memory composed of rotating platters coated with a magnetic recording material.
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WGU C952-Computer Architecture Exam
Questions and Answers 2025-2026
Personal computer (PC) - Correct Ans-A computer designed for use by an individual,
usually incorporating a graphics display, a keyboard, and a mouse.
Server - Correct Ans-A computer used for running larger programs for multiple users,
often simultaneously, and typically accessed only via a network.
Supercomputer: - Correct Ans-A class of computers with the highest performance and
cost; they are configured as servers and typically cost tens to hundreds of millions of
dollars.
Embedded computer: - Correct Ans-A computer inside another device used for running
one predetermined application or collection of software.
Personal mobile devices (PMDs) - Correct Ans-are small wireless devices to connect to
the Internet; they rely on batteries for power, and software is installed by downloading
apps. Conventional examples are smart phones and tablets.
Cloud computing - Correct Ans-refers to large collections of servers that provide
services over the Internet; some providers rent dynamically varying numbers of servers
as a utility.
Software as a Service (SaaS) - Correct Ans-delivers software and data as a service
over the Internet, usually via a thin program such as a browser that runs on local client
devices, instead of binary code that must be installed, and runs wholly on that device.
Examples include web search and social networking.
Multicore microprocessor - Correct Ans-A microprocessor containing multiple
processors ("cores") in a single integrated circuit.
Acronym - Correct Ans-A word constructed by taking the initial letters of a string of
words. For example: RAM is an acronym for Random Access Memory, and CPU is an
acronym for Central Processing Unit.
Terabyte (TB): - Correct Ans-Originally 1,099,511,627,776 (240) bytes, although
communications and secondary storage systems developers started using the term to
mean 1,000,000,000,000 (1012) bytes. To reduce confusion, we now use the term
tebibyte (TiB) for 240 bytes, defining terabyte (TB) to mean 1012 bytes. The figure
below shows the full range of decimal and binary values and names.
Systems software: - Correct Ans-Software that provides services that are commonly
useful, including operating systems, compilers, loaders, and assemblers.
1|Page
,C952 - Computer Architecture
Operating system - Correct Ans-Supervising program that manages the resources of a
computer for the benefit of the programs that run on that computer.
Compiler - Correct Ans-A program that translates high-level language statements into
assembly language statements.
Binary digit - Correct Ans-Also called a bit. One of the two numbers in base 2 (0 or 1)
that are the components of information.
Instruction - Correct Ans-A command that computer hardware understands and obeys
Assembler - Correct Ans-A program that translates a symbolic version of instructions
into the binary version.
Assembly language - Correct Ans-A symbolic representation of machine instructions.
Machine language - Correct Ans-A binary representation of machine instructions
High-level programming language - Correct Ans-A portable language such as C, C++,
Java, or Visual Basic that is composed of words and algebraic notation that can be
translated by a compiler into assembly language.
Input device - Correct Ans-A mechanism through which the computer is fed information,
such as a keyboard.
Output device - Correct Ans-A mechanism that conveys the result of a computation to a
user, such as a display, or to another computer
Liquid crystal display: - Correct Ans-A display technology using a thin layer of liquid
polymers that can be used to transmit or block light according to whether a charge is
applied.
Active matrix display - Correct Ans-A liquid crystal display using a transistor to control
the transmission of light at each individual pixel.
Pixel - Correct Ans-The smallest individual picture element. Screens are composed of
hundreds of thousands to millions of pixels, organized in a matrix.
Integrated circuit - Correct Ans-Also called a chip. A device combining dozens to
millions of transistors.
Central processor unit (CPU) - Correct Ans-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.
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, C952 - Computer Architecture
Datapath - Correct Ans-The component of the processor that performs arithmetic
operations.
Control - Correct Ans-The component of the processor that commands the datapath,
memory, and I/O devices according to the instructions of the program.
Memory - Correct Ans-The storage area in which programs are kept when they are
running and that contains the data needed by the running programs.
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) - Correct Ans-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.
Cache memory - Correct Ans-A small, fast memory that acts as a buffer for a slower,
larger memory.
Static random access memory (SRAM): - Correct Ans-Also memory built as an
integrated circuit, but faster and less dense than DRAM.
Instruction set architecture - Correct Ans-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) - Correct Ans-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.
Implementation - Correct Ans-Hardware that obeys the architecture abstraction
Volatile memory - Correct Ans-Storage, such as DRAM, that retains data only if it is
receiving power.
Nonvolatile memory - Correct Ans-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.
Main memory - Correct Ans-Also called primary memory. Memory used to hold
programs while they are running; typically consists of DRAM in today's computers.
Secondary memory - Correct Ans-Nonvolatile memory used to store programs and data
between runs; typically consists of flash memory in PMDs and magnetic disks in
servers.
Magnetic disk - Correct Ans-Also called hard disk. A form of nonvolatile secondary
memory composed of rotating platters coated with a magnetic recording material.
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