ITSC 3146 Test 1 Study Set
Where does the CPU retrieve data from? - ANSWER memory and storage
components
Permanent memory is also known as what? and what two types does it come in?
- ANSWER It is non-volatile.
1. ROM - memory is stocked once and cannot be modified
2. read/write memory - data can be read and written from
What is temporary memory known as? - ANSWER voilitile memory, is cleared
once the computer is powered off
What is ram? What two types are there? - ANSWER 1. SRAM - data is stored
indefinitely as long as the computer is not powered off
2. DRAM - data is retained only if it is refreshed periodicallly
Describe the memory hierarchy - ANSWER 1. Lowest level is permanent storage
such as a disk
2. main memory where a subset of data is stored temporarily
3. cache memory is next and uses SRAM to store frequently used data
4. registers store variables and temporary results for current CPU computations
What is a key fact about a magnetic disk? - ANSWER It has several mechanical
components, which is why random access of data is very slow
What is a supercell? - ANSWER In main memory, it is a collection of 1 bit cells
What two principles does the cache primarily work on? - ANSWER Temporal
locality
spatial locality
Purpose of Program Count or PC register? - ANSWER stores the address of the
instruction that needs to be fetched next in stream of instructions
purpose of the stack pointer register? - ANSWER stores the address of the top of
the stack
purpose of the program status word register? - ANSWER stores several bits of
information that is relevant to current state of the system
, CPU sequence of executing a strea of instructions - ANSWER 1. fetch an
instruction from memory
2. determines the type of instruction to be done
3. fetch some data for the instruction from memory
4. execute the instruction
5. update the Program Counter (pc) register
What is pipelining - ANSWER CPU instruction execution sequence is split up into
multiple stages so multiple instructions can make progress concurrently
What is polling - ANSWER the CPU stops what it is doing and asks each device if
it is ready
What is the alternative to polling? - ANSWER The I/O device will send an
interrupt to let the CPU know it is ready
What is DMA - ANSWER Direct Memory Access, this is used when a large
amount of data that needs to be transferred between an I/O device and main
memory. IT IS NOT HANDLED BY THE CPU, it is handled by SPECIAL
HARDWARE
what does this line mean?
using namespace std; - ANSWER tells the compiler to use the standard
namespace, which includes features of the c++ standard library
what symbol is used for cin - ANSWER >>
what symbol is used for cout - ANSWER <<
How does the increment operator work in the prefix form? ++x - ANSWER
increments the value, and then proceeds with the expression
How does the increment operator work in the postfix form? x++ - ANSWER
evaluates the expression and then performs the incrementing
Does the default case in a switch statement require a break statement? -
ANSWER No
abstraction - ANSWER the concept of hiding complexity
In an operating system, policy refers to...? - ANSWER refers to the procedures
and rules that are used to determine what action to take out of a set of
possibilities
In an operating system, a mechanism refers to...? - ANSWER refers to the data
structures and operations that are used to complete a service
Where does the CPU retrieve data from? - ANSWER memory and storage
components
Permanent memory is also known as what? and what two types does it come in?
- ANSWER It is non-volatile.
1. ROM - memory is stocked once and cannot be modified
2. read/write memory - data can be read and written from
What is temporary memory known as? - ANSWER voilitile memory, is cleared
once the computer is powered off
What is ram? What two types are there? - ANSWER 1. SRAM - data is stored
indefinitely as long as the computer is not powered off
2. DRAM - data is retained only if it is refreshed periodicallly
Describe the memory hierarchy - ANSWER 1. Lowest level is permanent storage
such as a disk
2. main memory where a subset of data is stored temporarily
3. cache memory is next and uses SRAM to store frequently used data
4. registers store variables and temporary results for current CPU computations
What is a key fact about a magnetic disk? - ANSWER It has several mechanical
components, which is why random access of data is very slow
What is a supercell? - ANSWER In main memory, it is a collection of 1 bit cells
What two principles does the cache primarily work on? - ANSWER Temporal
locality
spatial locality
Purpose of Program Count or PC register? - ANSWER stores the address of the
instruction that needs to be fetched next in stream of instructions
purpose of the stack pointer register? - ANSWER stores the address of the top of
the stack
purpose of the program status word register? - ANSWER stores several bits of
information that is relevant to current state of the system
, CPU sequence of executing a strea of instructions - ANSWER 1. fetch an
instruction from memory
2. determines the type of instruction to be done
3. fetch some data for the instruction from memory
4. execute the instruction
5. update the Program Counter (pc) register
What is pipelining - ANSWER CPU instruction execution sequence is split up into
multiple stages so multiple instructions can make progress concurrently
What is polling - ANSWER the CPU stops what it is doing and asks each device if
it is ready
What is the alternative to polling? - ANSWER The I/O device will send an
interrupt to let the CPU know it is ready
What is DMA - ANSWER Direct Memory Access, this is used when a large
amount of data that needs to be transferred between an I/O device and main
memory. IT IS NOT HANDLED BY THE CPU, it is handled by SPECIAL
HARDWARE
what does this line mean?
using namespace std; - ANSWER tells the compiler to use the standard
namespace, which includes features of the c++ standard library
what symbol is used for cin - ANSWER >>
what symbol is used for cout - ANSWER <<
How does the increment operator work in the prefix form? ++x - ANSWER
increments the value, and then proceeds with the expression
How does the increment operator work in the postfix form? x++ - ANSWER
evaluates the expression and then performs the incrementing
Does the default case in a switch statement require a break statement? -
ANSWER No
abstraction - ANSWER the concept of hiding complexity
In an operating system, policy refers to...? - ANSWER refers to the procedures
and rules that are used to determine what action to take out of a set of
possibilities
In an operating system, a mechanism refers to...? - ANSWER refers to the data
structures and operations that are used to complete a service
