CNIT 176 Final Study Questions with Complete
Solutions
Abstraction
A mental model that removes complex details
Task
a piece of work that needs to be done
Algorithm
A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem
Program
An algorithm that has been coded into something that can be run by a machine.
(Each step of an algorithm may translate to many lines of code.)
Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
The part of the computer architecture related to programming, including the native data types,
instructions, registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt and exception
handling, and external I/O.
Microarchitecture
Specific design of a microprocessor, which includes physical components (registers, logic gates,
ALU, cache, etc.) that support a specific instruction set.
Logic Gates
Every component of the micro-architecture can be implemented using logic gates. (AND, OR,
XOR, NAND, etc.)
Devices
,Most basic component of a micro-architecture. Usually a network of transistors that interpret
1's and 0's.
Rock's Law
The cost of facilities to build semiconductors will double every four years.
Moore's Law
The observation that computing power roughly doubles every two years.
Difference Engine
Charles Babbage
Ada Lovelace
First computer programmer. She also wrote a computer language for the Analytical Engine.
Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC)
Used vacuum tubes to store data rather than mechanical switches.
ENIAC
The first general-purpose electronic computer.
Second generation
1959-1963; Transistors
Third Generation
1964-1970; Integrated circuits
Computer system
A collection of components that work together to meet the needs of the user.
Enivornment
Anything outside of the system.
, System architecture
How all of the components of the system relate and link together.
Client-server system
A system in which some computers (the clients), request services provided by other computers,
the servers.
Cloud Computing
Off-site storage facilities for an organization
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Utilizes the internet to deliver applications to its users, which are managed by a third-party
vendor. Ex.) Office 365
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Provides a framework for developers that they can build upon and use to create customized
applications. Ex) Developing code
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Virtual Machines and networking running as your own service. Ex.) Virtual Machines
Compression
Recoding data so it requires fewer bytes of storage space.
Lossless Compression
Restores data to exact orginal form. Ex.) .png
Lossy Compression
Trades off data degradation for file size and download speed. Ex.) .jpeg
Bitmap images
Solutions
Abstraction
A mental model that removes complex details
Task
a piece of work that needs to be done
Algorithm
A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem
Program
An algorithm that has been coded into something that can be run by a machine.
(Each step of an algorithm may translate to many lines of code.)
Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
The part of the computer architecture related to programming, including the native data types,
instructions, registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt and exception
handling, and external I/O.
Microarchitecture
Specific design of a microprocessor, which includes physical components (registers, logic gates,
ALU, cache, etc.) that support a specific instruction set.
Logic Gates
Every component of the micro-architecture can be implemented using logic gates. (AND, OR,
XOR, NAND, etc.)
Devices
,Most basic component of a micro-architecture. Usually a network of transistors that interpret
1's and 0's.
Rock's Law
The cost of facilities to build semiconductors will double every four years.
Moore's Law
The observation that computing power roughly doubles every two years.
Difference Engine
Charles Babbage
Ada Lovelace
First computer programmer. She also wrote a computer language for the Analytical Engine.
Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC)
Used vacuum tubes to store data rather than mechanical switches.
ENIAC
The first general-purpose electronic computer.
Second generation
1959-1963; Transistors
Third Generation
1964-1970; Integrated circuits
Computer system
A collection of components that work together to meet the needs of the user.
Enivornment
Anything outside of the system.
, System architecture
How all of the components of the system relate and link together.
Client-server system
A system in which some computers (the clients), request services provided by other computers,
the servers.
Cloud Computing
Off-site storage facilities for an organization
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Utilizes the internet to deliver applications to its users, which are managed by a third-party
vendor. Ex.) Office 365
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Provides a framework for developers that they can build upon and use to create customized
applications. Ex) Developing code
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Virtual Machines and networking running as your own service. Ex.) Virtual Machines
Compression
Recoding data so it requires fewer bytes of storage space.
Lossless Compression
Restores data to exact orginal form. Ex.) .png
Lossy Compression
Trades off data degradation for file size and download speed. Ex.) .jpeg
Bitmap images
