WGU C952 OA EXAM / WGU C952 COMPUTER
ARCHITECTURE EXAM 300 ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALE
LATEST UPDATE ALREADY GRADED A+ ASSURED
PASS
This comprehensive question bank contains 300 unique, multiple-choice questions
specifically designed for the WGU C952 Computer Architecture Objective
Assessment. Based on the course competencies and the Computer Organization
and Design textbook, the questions are organized into 50 sections covering all
essential content including the von Neumann model, Moore's Law, Amdahl's Law,
instruction set architecture (LEGv8/ARM), pipelining and hazards, memory
hierarchy and cache, virtual memory, parallelism, processor design, I/O systems,
and computer arithmetic. Each question includes the correct answer and a detailed
rationale explaining the architectural concepts and principles. This resource is ideal
for self-assessment, targeted review, and exam preparation.
Section 1: Fundamentals of Computer Architecture
Question 1: What is the primary distinction between computer architecture and
computer organization?
A) Architecture and organization are synonymous terms in computer science
B) Architecture refers to attributes visible to the programmer; organization refers
to operational units implementing the architecture
C) Architecture refers to hardware implementation; organization refers to software
interfaces
D) Architecture is the physical design; organization is the logical design
Answer: B) Architecture refers to attributes visible to the programmer;
organization refers to operational units implementing the architecture
Rationale: Computer architecture is the abstract interface visible to the
programmer, including the instruction set, data types, and I/O mechanisms.
Computer organization concerns the operational units and their interconnections
,that implement the architectural specifications, including control signals and
memory technology.
Question 2: According to the von Neumann model, what are the four main
components of a computer system?
A) CPU, RAM, Hard Drive, Motherboard
B) Input/Output devices, Memory, Arithmetic Logic Unit, Control Unit
C) Processor, Cache, Bus, Power Supply
D) System Software, Application Software, Data, Users
Answer: B) Input/Output devices, Memory, Arithmetic Logic Unit, Control Unit
Rationale: The von Neumann model defines four essential components:
Input/Output devices for communication with the outside world, Memory for
storing data and instructions, the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) for performing
calculations, and the Control Unit for coordinating operations.
Question 3: What does Moore's Law state about integrated circuits?
A) The speed of processors doubles every 18 months
B) The number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately every
two years
C) The cost of computers halves every year
D) Memory capacity increases by 50% annually
Answer: B) The number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately
every two years
Rationale: Moore's Law is the observation that the number of transistors on
integrated circuits doubles approximately every two years, driving exponential
growth in computing performance and enabling multicore processors and complex
memory hierarchies.
Question 4: Which of the following is one of the Eight Great Ideas in computer
architecture?
A) Design for maximum complexity
B) Make the common case fast
C) Prioritize hardware over software
,D) Eliminate all redundancy
Answer: B) Make the common case fast
Rationale: The Eight Great Ideas in computer architecture include: Design for
Moore's Law, Use abstraction, Make the common case fast, Performance via
parallelism, Performance via pipelining, Performance via prediction, Hierarchy of
memories, and Dependability via redundancy.
Question 5: What does Amdahl's Law quantify?
A) The maximum number of transistors on a chip
B) The theoretical speedup in task execution when only part of the system is
improved
C) The minimum power consumption of a processor
D) The optimal cache size for a given workload
Answer: B) The theoretical speedup in task execution when only part of the system
is improved
Rationale: Amdahl's Law quantifies the theoretical speedup in latency of task
execution under fixed workload when only part of the system is improved. It
demonstrates that performance improvement is limited by the fraction of the task
that cannot be improved.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT one of the five classic components of a
computer?
A) Input
B) Output
C) Memory
D) System Software
Answer: D) System Software
Rationale: The five classic components of a computer are Input, Output, Memory,
Datapath, and Control. System software is not a hardware component but rather
software that manages hardware resources and provides a platform for
applications.
, Question 7: What is the primary function of the Control Unit in a processor?
A) Performs arithmetic and logical operations
B) Stores the address of the next instruction
C) Decodes instructions and generates control signals for the datapath
D) Holds temporary data during ALU operations
Answer: C) Decodes instructions and generates control signals for the datapath
Rationale: The Control Unit acts like a conductor, reading the instruction (opcode),
decoding it, and sending out signals (e.g., RegWrite, MemRead, ALUop) to direct
the datapath, memory, and ALU on what to do.
Question 8: What is a wafer in semiconductor manufacturing?
A) The plastic package surrounding the CPU
B) The thin slice of silicon used to fabricate multiple chips
C) The metal heat spreader on top of the CPU
D) The conductive layer connecting transistors
Answer: B) The thin slice of silicon used to fabricate multiple chips
Rationale: A silicon ingot is sliced into thin wafers, and chips (dies) are printed
onto these wafers through photolithography. Each wafer contains hundreds or
thousands of individual chips.
Question 9: Which of the following is an example of non-volatile memory?
A) Register file
B) L1 Cache
C) Flash memory
D) DRAM
Answer: C) Flash memory
Rationale: Non-volatile memory retains data when power is turned off. Flash
memory, used in SSDs and USB drives, is non-volatile. Registers, Cache (SRAM),
and Main Memory (DRAM) lose their contents on power loss.
Question 10: What is the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?
ARCHITECTURE EXAM 300 ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALE
LATEST UPDATE ALREADY GRADED A+ ASSURED
PASS
This comprehensive question bank contains 300 unique, multiple-choice questions
specifically designed for the WGU C952 Computer Architecture Objective
Assessment. Based on the course competencies and the Computer Organization
and Design textbook, the questions are organized into 50 sections covering all
essential content including the von Neumann model, Moore's Law, Amdahl's Law,
instruction set architecture (LEGv8/ARM), pipelining and hazards, memory
hierarchy and cache, virtual memory, parallelism, processor design, I/O systems,
and computer arithmetic. Each question includes the correct answer and a detailed
rationale explaining the architectural concepts and principles. This resource is ideal
for self-assessment, targeted review, and exam preparation.
Section 1: Fundamentals of Computer Architecture
Question 1: What is the primary distinction between computer architecture and
computer organization?
A) Architecture and organization are synonymous terms in computer science
B) Architecture refers to attributes visible to the programmer; organization refers
to operational units implementing the architecture
C) Architecture refers to hardware implementation; organization refers to software
interfaces
D) Architecture is the physical design; organization is the logical design
Answer: B) Architecture refers to attributes visible to the programmer;
organization refers to operational units implementing the architecture
Rationale: Computer architecture is the abstract interface visible to the
programmer, including the instruction set, data types, and I/O mechanisms.
Computer organization concerns the operational units and their interconnections
,that implement the architectural specifications, including control signals and
memory technology.
Question 2: According to the von Neumann model, what are the four main
components of a computer system?
A) CPU, RAM, Hard Drive, Motherboard
B) Input/Output devices, Memory, Arithmetic Logic Unit, Control Unit
C) Processor, Cache, Bus, Power Supply
D) System Software, Application Software, Data, Users
Answer: B) Input/Output devices, Memory, Arithmetic Logic Unit, Control Unit
Rationale: The von Neumann model defines four essential components:
Input/Output devices for communication with the outside world, Memory for
storing data and instructions, the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) for performing
calculations, and the Control Unit for coordinating operations.
Question 3: What does Moore's Law state about integrated circuits?
A) The speed of processors doubles every 18 months
B) The number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately every
two years
C) The cost of computers halves every year
D) Memory capacity increases by 50% annually
Answer: B) The number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately
every two years
Rationale: Moore's Law is the observation that the number of transistors on
integrated circuits doubles approximately every two years, driving exponential
growth in computing performance and enabling multicore processors and complex
memory hierarchies.
Question 4: Which of the following is one of the Eight Great Ideas in computer
architecture?
A) Design for maximum complexity
B) Make the common case fast
C) Prioritize hardware over software
,D) Eliminate all redundancy
Answer: B) Make the common case fast
Rationale: The Eight Great Ideas in computer architecture include: Design for
Moore's Law, Use abstraction, Make the common case fast, Performance via
parallelism, Performance via pipelining, Performance via prediction, Hierarchy of
memories, and Dependability via redundancy.
Question 5: What does Amdahl's Law quantify?
A) The maximum number of transistors on a chip
B) The theoretical speedup in task execution when only part of the system is
improved
C) The minimum power consumption of a processor
D) The optimal cache size for a given workload
Answer: B) The theoretical speedup in task execution when only part of the system
is improved
Rationale: Amdahl's Law quantifies the theoretical speedup in latency of task
execution under fixed workload when only part of the system is improved. It
demonstrates that performance improvement is limited by the fraction of the task
that cannot be improved.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT one of the five classic components of a
computer?
A) Input
B) Output
C) Memory
D) System Software
Answer: D) System Software
Rationale: The five classic components of a computer are Input, Output, Memory,
Datapath, and Control. System software is not a hardware component but rather
software that manages hardware resources and provides a platform for
applications.
, Question 7: What is the primary function of the Control Unit in a processor?
A) Performs arithmetic and logical operations
B) Stores the address of the next instruction
C) Decodes instructions and generates control signals for the datapath
D) Holds temporary data during ALU operations
Answer: C) Decodes instructions and generates control signals for the datapath
Rationale: The Control Unit acts like a conductor, reading the instruction (opcode),
decoding it, and sending out signals (e.g., RegWrite, MemRead, ALUop) to direct
the datapath, memory, and ALU on what to do.
Question 8: What is a wafer in semiconductor manufacturing?
A) The plastic package surrounding the CPU
B) The thin slice of silicon used to fabricate multiple chips
C) The metal heat spreader on top of the CPU
D) The conductive layer connecting transistors
Answer: B) The thin slice of silicon used to fabricate multiple chips
Rationale: A silicon ingot is sliced into thin wafers, and chips (dies) are printed
onto these wafers through photolithography. Each wafer contains hundreds or
thousands of individual chips.
Question 9: Which of the following is an example of non-volatile memory?
A) Register file
B) L1 Cache
C) Flash memory
D) DRAM
Answer: C) Flash memory
Rationale: Non-volatile memory retains data when power is turned off. Flash
memory, used in SSDs and USB drives, is non-volatile. Registers, Cache (SRAM),
and Main Memory (DRAM) lose their contents on power loss.
Question 10: What is the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?
