4/21/26, 6:19 WGU C952 Flashcards |
PM Quizlet
WGU C952 Computer Architecture Complete
Study Guide | ISA, ARMv8, Pipelining, Cache,
Virtual Memory, RAID, Tomasulo & Final Exam
Notes (2026/2027 Edition)
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.
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,4/21/26, 6:19 WGU C952 Flashcards |
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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.
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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 The same instruction is applied to many data streams, as in a vector
(SIMD) processor.
Data-level parallelism Parallelism achieved by performing the same operation on independent
data
vector-based code
conventional code
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
total process time = [longest task * (total load -1)] + total load time
R-format ALU operations Requires register file and the ALU.
Program Counter (PC) The register that contains the address of the next instruction to be
executed
output The results of the operation of any system.
temporal locality The principle stating that if a data location is referenced then it will
tend to be referenced again soon.
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PM Quizlet
WGU C952 Computer Architecture Complete
Study Guide | ISA, ARMv8, Pipelining, Cache,
Virtual Memory, RAID, Tomasulo & Final Exam
Notes (2026/2027 Edition)
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.
https://quizlet.com/323591503/wgu-c952- 1/20
flash-cards/
,4/21/26, 6:19 WGU C952 Flashcards |
PM Quizlet
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.
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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 The same instruction is applied to many data streams, as in a vector
(SIMD) processor.
Data-level parallelism Parallelism achieved by performing the same operation on independent
data
vector-based code
conventional code
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
total process time = [longest task * (total load -1)] + total load time
R-format ALU operations Requires register file and the ALU.
Program Counter (PC) The register that contains the address of the next instruction to be
executed
output The results of the operation of any system.
temporal locality The principle stating that if a data location is referenced then it will
tend to be referenced again soon.
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