COSC Test 1 Questions and Answers
Computer Architecture - Answer -a set of disciplines that describes a computer system
by specifying its parts and their relations
John von Neumann - Answer -first to describe computer architecturally around 1950s.
He did NOT build it, alter it, etc
The basic design of computers hasn't changed since then
-the 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms dude
When was the first electronic computer built? - Answer -Around 1880 to 1890.
What was the first computer like? - Answer -The design was just a basic counting
system
Accounting work done early with computers
How has the advancement of technology been? - Answer -Exponential
CPU - Answer -The circuitry in a computer that controls the manipulation of data
What does CPU stand for? - Answer -Central Processing Unit
What 3 parts is the CPU consisted of? - Answer -Arithmetic/Logic Unit(ALU), Control
Unit and Register Unit
ALU - Answer -performs operations on data such as addition and subtraction
Control Unit - Answer -contains the circuitry for coordinating the machine's activities
Register Unit - Answer -contains data storage cells called registers where you bring into
to the gather or move it somewhere else. It may hold an instruction, a storage address,
or any kind of data (such as a bit sequence or individual characters)
Can a computer multiply, subtract, and divide? If not, how does it do math? - Answer -
No. It uses addition
Bus - Answer -the electronic connection that connects all the devices on the computer
to the CPU and each other
(image of this in first set of my paper notes)
, Main Memory - Answer -the high speed memory associated with the CPU (but not
included in the CPU) that stores computer programs for execution
The computer memory keeps refreshed/stores memory
What did main memory used to be like and what is it like nowadays? - Answer -It used
to run programs currently run. Now it is solid state
Stored Program Concept - Answer -The idea of storing programs in main memory
What are the 3 types of storage? - Answer -solid state(USB, thumb drive,etc), hard
drive, DVD/CD
Computer programs - Answer -a collection of instructions that performs a specific task
when executed by a computer. Most computer devices require programs to function
properly. (PowerPoint) In order for instructions to be executed by the CPU, they must be
reduced to machine language.
Machine Language Instruction - Answer -consists of an instruction code followed by an
address or addresses
What is the order of machine language? - Answer -The order of language goes from a
higher level language(Ex:Safari)--->basic(Ex:Java)--->assembly level language---
>machine languages(1s and 0s)
Compiler - Answer -When we generate code in a higher level language like Qbasic, the
computer uses this to convert the instructions to machine code.
Types of instructions - Answer -Branch (GOTO)
Arithmetic (x+Y)
Read (Input)
Write (Print)
Conditional (IF THEN)
Clock - Answer -circuitry in the control unit that provides for coordinates instruction
execution
Where are FIRMWARE instructions stored? - Answer -in read only memory in devices
to speed operations
What does the machine cycle do? - Answer -Fetch, Decode and Execute
It consists of the steps that a computer's processor executes whenever it receives a
machine language instruction. It is the most basic CPU operation, and modern CPUs
are able to perform millions of machine cycles per second. The cycle consists of three
standard steps: fetch, decode and execute.
Computer Architecture - Answer -a set of disciplines that describes a computer system
by specifying its parts and their relations
John von Neumann - Answer -first to describe computer architecturally around 1950s.
He did NOT build it, alter it, etc
The basic design of computers hasn't changed since then
-the 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms dude
When was the first electronic computer built? - Answer -Around 1880 to 1890.
What was the first computer like? - Answer -The design was just a basic counting
system
Accounting work done early with computers
How has the advancement of technology been? - Answer -Exponential
CPU - Answer -The circuitry in a computer that controls the manipulation of data
What does CPU stand for? - Answer -Central Processing Unit
What 3 parts is the CPU consisted of? - Answer -Arithmetic/Logic Unit(ALU), Control
Unit and Register Unit
ALU - Answer -performs operations on data such as addition and subtraction
Control Unit - Answer -contains the circuitry for coordinating the machine's activities
Register Unit - Answer -contains data storage cells called registers where you bring into
to the gather or move it somewhere else. It may hold an instruction, a storage address,
or any kind of data (such as a bit sequence or individual characters)
Can a computer multiply, subtract, and divide? If not, how does it do math? - Answer -
No. It uses addition
Bus - Answer -the electronic connection that connects all the devices on the computer
to the CPU and each other
(image of this in first set of my paper notes)
, Main Memory - Answer -the high speed memory associated with the CPU (but not
included in the CPU) that stores computer programs for execution
The computer memory keeps refreshed/stores memory
What did main memory used to be like and what is it like nowadays? - Answer -It used
to run programs currently run. Now it is solid state
Stored Program Concept - Answer -The idea of storing programs in main memory
What are the 3 types of storage? - Answer -solid state(USB, thumb drive,etc), hard
drive, DVD/CD
Computer programs - Answer -a collection of instructions that performs a specific task
when executed by a computer. Most computer devices require programs to function
properly. (PowerPoint) In order for instructions to be executed by the CPU, they must be
reduced to machine language.
Machine Language Instruction - Answer -consists of an instruction code followed by an
address or addresses
What is the order of machine language? - Answer -The order of language goes from a
higher level language(Ex:Safari)--->basic(Ex:Java)--->assembly level language---
>machine languages(1s and 0s)
Compiler - Answer -When we generate code in a higher level language like Qbasic, the
computer uses this to convert the instructions to machine code.
Types of instructions - Answer -Branch (GOTO)
Arithmetic (x+Y)
Read (Input)
Write (Print)
Conditional (IF THEN)
Clock - Answer -circuitry in the control unit that provides for coordinates instruction
execution
Where are FIRMWARE instructions stored? - Answer -in read only memory in devices
to speed operations
What does the machine cycle do? - Answer -Fetch, Decode and Execute
It consists of the steps that a computer's processor executes whenever it receives a
machine language instruction. It is the most basic CPU operation, and modern CPUs
are able to perform millions of machine cycles per second. The cycle consists of three
standard steps: fetch, decode and execute.
