IS 3003 Chapters 5-6 (Exam #2)
questions and answers graded A+
2025/2026
Hardware - correct answer ✔✔consists of the physical devices associated with a computer
system; technology to support system activities of input, processing, output and storage
Binary/ Machine Language - correct answer ✔✔- Language that all computers use
- Expressed through 0's and 1's
- Utilizes Base-2 math to convert normal characters to binary code
Bit (Binary Digit) - correct answer ✔✔a single 0 or 1, the smallest unit of data that a computer
can process
Byte - correct answer ✔✔a group of 8 or 16 bits representing one natural language character
Central Processing Unit (CPU) or Microprocessor - correct answer ✔✔the actual hardware that
interprets and executes the program (SW) instructions and coordinates how all the other
hardware devices work together
Control Unit - correct answer ✔✔interprets software instructions and tells the other hardware
devices what to do based on the software instructions
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) - correct answer ✔✔- Performs arithmetic operations (for example,
addition and subtraction)
- Performs logical operations (such as sorting and comparing numbers)
- Performs storage and retrieval operations
,Registers - correct answer ✔✔provide temporary storage where data resides while it is being
processed or manipulated
L1 (Internal) and L2 Cache Memory - correct answer ✔✔a small block of memory used by the
processors to store those instructions used most recently, most often, or next.
- Incorporated into the microprocessor's deign, right on the CPU chip
- L2 Cahe feeds L1 Cache
- L1 Cache is faster than L2 Cache
Machine Cycle Time - correct answer ✔✔the time it takes to process one instruction (fetching,
decoding, retrieving, storing)
- Can be measured in fractions of seconds
- Can be measured in terms of how many instructions can be executed in 1 second
MIPS - correct answer ✔✔millions of instructions per second
BIPS - correct answer ✔✔billions of instructions per second
Clock Speed - correct answer ✔✔the speed of the internal clock (system clock) that sets the
pace at which operations proceed; clock speed is measured in hertz (MHZ, GHZ)
Servers - correct answer ✔✔- Often a type of midrange computer
- Specifically optimized to support a computer network, sharing files and resources
- Provide hardware platform for e-commerce
Types of Servers - correct answer ✔✔application, database, disk, fax, file, mail, print, web,
Remote Access (RAS)
, Super Computer - correct answer ✔✔More sophisticated computer used for tasks requiring
extremely rapid and complex calculations with thousands of variables, millions of
measurements
Parallel Processing - correct answer ✔✔the ability to run two or more tasks simultaneously by
using multiple processors linked to operate together
Grid Computing - correct answer ✔✔Power of geographically remote computers connected into
single network to act as "virtual supercomputer"
Advantages of Grid Computing - correct answer ✔✔- Cost Savings
- Speed of Computation
- Improved reliability (processing on overused nodes can be switched to idle nodes)
- Scalability (can add or remove nodes/devices as needed)
Client/Server Computing - correct answer ✔✔- Form of distributed computing
- Splits processing between "clients" and "Servers" (each type is assigned a certain function
Clients - correct answer ✔✔user point of entry; requests services from a server
Servers - correct answer ✔✔store and process shared data, other services, and perform
network management activities in response to client requests
- can be dedicated to certain functions
Two-tiered client/server architecture - correct answer ✔✔uses two types of machines - a client
computer networked to a server computer
questions and answers graded A+
2025/2026
Hardware - correct answer ✔✔consists of the physical devices associated with a computer
system; technology to support system activities of input, processing, output and storage
Binary/ Machine Language - correct answer ✔✔- Language that all computers use
- Expressed through 0's and 1's
- Utilizes Base-2 math to convert normal characters to binary code
Bit (Binary Digit) - correct answer ✔✔a single 0 or 1, the smallest unit of data that a computer
can process
Byte - correct answer ✔✔a group of 8 or 16 bits representing one natural language character
Central Processing Unit (CPU) or Microprocessor - correct answer ✔✔the actual hardware that
interprets and executes the program (SW) instructions and coordinates how all the other
hardware devices work together
Control Unit - correct answer ✔✔interprets software instructions and tells the other hardware
devices what to do based on the software instructions
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) - correct answer ✔✔- Performs arithmetic operations (for example,
addition and subtraction)
- Performs logical operations (such as sorting and comparing numbers)
- Performs storage and retrieval operations
,Registers - correct answer ✔✔provide temporary storage where data resides while it is being
processed or manipulated
L1 (Internal) and L2 Cache Memory - correct answer ✔✔a small block of memory used by the
processors to store those instructions used most recently, most often, or next.
- Incorporated into the microprocessor's deign, right on the CPU chip
- L2 Cahe feeds L1 Cache
- L1 Cache is faster than L2 Cache
Machine Cycle Time - correct answer ✔✔the time it takes to process one instruction (fetching,
decoding, retrieving, storing)
- Can be measured in fractions of seconds
- Can be measured in terms of how many instructions can be executed in 1 second
MIPS - correct answer ✔✔millions of instructions per second
BIPS - correct answer ✔✔billions of instructions per second
Clock Speed - correct answer ✔✔the speed of the internal clock (system clock) that sets the
pace at which operations proceed; clock speed is measured in hertz (MHZ, GHZ)
Servers - correct answer ✔✔- Often a type of midrange computer
- Specifically optimized to support a computer network, sharing files and resources
- Provide hardware platform for e-commerce
Types of Servers - correct answer ✔✔application, database, disk, fax, file, mail, print, web,
Remote Access (RAS)
, Super Computer - correct answer ✔✔More sophisticated computer used for tasks requiring
extremely rapid and complex calculations with thousands of variables, millions of
measurements
Parallel Processing - correct answer ✔✔the ability to run two or more tasks simultaneously by
using multiple processors linked to operate together
Grid Computing - correct answer ✔✔Power of geographically remote computers connected into
single network to act as "virtual supercomputer"
Advantages of Grid Computing - correct answer ✔✔- Cost Savings
- Speed of Computation
- Improved reliability (processing on overused nodes can be switched to idle nodes)
- Scalability (can add or remove nodes/devices as needed)
Client/Server Computing - correct answer ✔✔- Form of distributed computing
- Splits processing between "clients" and "Servers" (each type is assigned a certain function
Clients - correct answer ✔✔user point of entry; requests services from a server
Servers - correct answer ✔✔store and process shared data, other services, and perform
network management activities in response to client requests
- can be dedicated to certain functions
Two-tiered client/server architecture - correct answer ✔✔uses two types of machines - a client
computer networked to a server computer
