Computer Architecture-
C952 Chapter 2 Exam
Questions and Complete
Solutions Graded A+
Denning [Date] [Course title]
,information revolution - Answer: Computers have led to a third revolution for civilization, with the
information revolution taking its place alongside the agricultural and the industrial revolutions.
The computing industry has not improved quite as rapidly as the transportation industry. - Answer:
False: On the contrary, the speed, size, and cost of computing has improved dramatically faster than
most other industries.
The agricultural and industrial revolutions each transformed society. Computers have led to a relatively
recent information revolution. - Answer: True: Similarly to those earlier revolutions, massive
transformations in society are taking place as a result of the information revolution, on an even faster
scale.
Computer improvements have led to previously undreamt applications like cell phones, but most signs
suggest the improvements are now coming to an end. - Answer: False: The improvements are ongoing
and will likely continue for many years.
Personal Computer (PC) - Answer: A computer designed for use by an individual, usually incorporating a
graphics display, a keyboard, and a mouse.
Server - Answer: A computer used for running larger programs for multiple users, often simultaneously,
and typically accessed only via a network.
Supercomputer - Answer: 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 - Answer: A computer inside another device used for running one predetermined
application or collection of software.
A home computer kept on a desktop and used by family members for emails, web browsing, social
networking, and movie watching. - Answer: PC: PCs are commonly used in the home or office.
A computer in an Amazon building accessed by thousands of people for online shopping. - Answer:
Server: The computer is serving information to thousands of users, accessed via a network.
,A computer in a cardiac pacemaker, which delivers electric shocks to keep a human's heart beating
properly. - Answer: Embedded: The computer embedded inside that pacemaker is about the size of a
small fingernail. Medical devices are a common form of embedded computers.
A computer at a federal laboratory that continually executes sophisticated algorithms on massive
amounts of data from various weather stations to develop accurate weather forecasts. - Answer: Server:
Weather forecasting, along with modeling of tornadoes, hurricanes, tidal waves, and more, are common
uses of supercomputers (a form of server).
Personal mobile devices (PMDs) - Answer: 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.
Warehouse Scale Computers (WSCs) - Answer: Taking over from the conventional server is Cloud
Computing, which relies upon giant datacenters
Cloud computing - Answer: 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 - Answer: (SaaS) 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.
"Post-PC" era refers to today's situation of today's most widely-used computers being things other than
PCs. - Answer: True: smart phones and tablets are experiencing tremendous growth.
The number of PCs sold annually continues to increase at a dramatic rate. - Answer: False: PC sales have
leveled off, and may soon decrease.
A smart phone isn't actually a computer. - Answer: False: A smart phone is a highly capable computer,
more powerful than many PCs of just a decade ago.
Cloud computing often involves thousands of servers in giant warehouses. - Answer: True: Such giant
warehouses of computers were non-existent a couple decades ago.
, Software as a Service refers to installing large software applications on a PC, such as Microsoft Office. -
Answer: False: More and more software is accessed via a browser or other "thin" client, with the main
software running on a server that is accessed over the Internet.
In 2012, about 600 million smart phones were sold. - Answer: True: That number is quite astounding
considering the world population was 7 billion in 2012, meaning nearly 1 in 10 people bought a smart
phone.
Multicore microprocessor - Answer: A microprocessor containing multiple processors ("cores") in a
single integrated circuit.
Acronym - Answer: 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
Today's programmers of PCs and servers emphasize improving program performance by using a minimal
amount of memory. - Answer: False: While previously true, computer advances have led to emphasis
instead on parallel processors and hierarchical memory, which will be introduced later.
Today's programmers also emphasize energy efficiency of programs. - Answer: True: PCs and servers
consume much electricity, and embedded computers often run on batteries, so energy efficiency is
critical across all kinds of programs.
The performance of a program depends on many things, like the original program, how the program is
translated to a computer's language, and the hardware. - Answer: True: As such, improving performance
is done both by programmers and by hardware designers.
A multicore microprocessor is a single processor capable of switching between multiple programs. -
Answer: False: A multicore microprocessor is a single processor capable of switching between multiple
programs.
Acronyms are rarely used in the field of computers. - Answer: False: On the contrary, acronyms and
abbreviations abound; get ready to learn many common ones.
C952 Chapter 2 Exam
Questions and Complete
Solutions Graded A+
Denning [Date] [Course title]
,information revolution - Answer: Computers have led to a third revolution for civilization, with the
information revolution taking its place alongside the agricultural and the industrial revolutions.
The computing industry has not improved quite as rapidly as the transportation industry. - Answer:
False: On the contrary, the speed, size, and cost of computing has improved dramatically faster than
most other industries.
The agricultural and industrial revolutions each transformed society. Computers have led to a relatively
recent information revolution. - Answer: True: Similarly to those earlier revolutions, massive
transformations in society are taking place as a result of the information revolution, on an even faster
scale.
Computer improvements have led to previously undreamt applications like cell phones, but most signs
suggest the improvements are now coming to an end. - Answer: False: The improvements are ongoing
and will likely continue for many years.
Personal Computer (PC) - Answer: A computer designed for use by an individual, usually incorporating a
graphics display, a keyboard, and a mouse.
Server - Answer: A computer used for running larger programs for multiple users, often simultaneously,
and typically accessed only via a network.
Supercomputer - Answer: 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 - Answer: A computer inside another device used for running one predetermined
application or collection of software.
A home computer kept on a desktop and used by family members for emails, web browsing, social
networking, and movie watching. - Answer: PC: PCs are commonly used in the home or office.
A computer in an Amazon building accessed by thousands of people for online shopping. - Answer:
Server: The computer is serving information to thousands of users, accessed via a network.
,A computer in a cardiac pacemaker, which delivers electric shocks to keep a human's heart beating
properly. - Answer: Embedded: The computer embedded inside that pacemaker is about the size of a
small fingernail. Medical devices are a common form of embedded computers.
A computer at a federal laboratory that continually executes sophisticated algorithms on massive
amounts of data from various weather stations to develop accurate weather forecasts. - Answer: Server:
Weather forecasting, along with modeling of tornadoes, hurricanes, tidal waves, and more, are common
uses of supercomputers (a form of server).
Personal mobile devices (PMDs) - Answer: 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.
Warehouse Scale Computers (WSCs) - Answer: Taking over from the conventional server is Cloud
Computing, which relies upon giant datacenters
Cloud computing - Answer: 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 - Answer: (SaaS) 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.
"Post-PC" era refers to today's situation of today's most widely-used computers being things other than
PCs. - Answer: True: smart phones and tablets are experiencing tremendous growth.
The number of PCs sold annually continues to increase at a dramatic rate. - Answer: False: PC sales have
leveled off, and may soon decrease.
A smart phone isn't actually a computer. - Answer: False: A smart phone is a highly capable computer,
more powerful than many PCs of just a decade ago.
Cloud computing often involves thousands of servers in giant warehouses. - Answer: True: Such giant
warehouses of computers were non-existent a couple decades ago.
, Software as a Service refers to installing large software applications on a PC, such as Microsoft Office. -
Answer: False: More and more software is accessed via a browser or other "thin" client, with the main
software running on a server that is accessed over the Internet.
In 2012, about 600 million smart phones were sold. - Answer: True: That number is quite astounding
considering the world population was 7 billion in 2012, meaning nearly 1 in 10 people bought a smart
phone.
Multicore microprocessor - Answer: A microprocessor containing multiple processors ("cores") in a
single integrated circuit.
Acronym - Answer: 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
Today's programmers of PCs and servers emphasize improving program performance by using a minimal
amount of memory. - Answer: False: While previously true, computer advances have led to emphasis
instead on parallel processors and hierarchical memory, which will be introduced later.
Today's programmers also emphasize energy efficiency of programs. - Answer: True: PCs and servers
consume much electricity, and embedded computers often run on batteries, so energy efficiency is
critical across all kinds of programs.
The performance of a program depends on many things, like the original program, how the program is
translated to a computer's language, and the hardware. - Answer: True: As such, improving performance
is done both by programmers and by hardware designers.
A multicore microprocessor is a single processor capable of switching between multiple programs. -
Answer: False: A multicore microprocessor is a single processor capable of switching between multiple
programs.
Acronyms are rarely used in the field of computers. - Answer: False: On the contrary, acronyms and
abbreviations abound; get ready to learn many common ones.
