Intro to Architecture

Spring 2002, Test 2

  1. CPU Components: (20 points), There are four basic components to a cpu the ALU, MMU, PC and CU. Describe the function of each.
  2. Busses: (5 pts), There are two types of busses, internal and external, describe each. Where is each used?
  3. Busses: (10 pts), Draw a diagram that represents a read operation on a synchronus bus. Label your diagram and describe which ententy initiates each activity.
  4. CPU speed: (20 pts), Bus Interaction, memory delay.
    1. A CPU operates at 200 MHz, how long is a clock cycle?
    2. If there are 4 states that cpu must go through to execute an instruction, how long does it take to execute an instruction? Assume all states require one clock cycle.
    3. If one of the states accesses memory with a cycle time of 12 ns, how will the operation of this machine be effected? Give the new time to execute an instruction.
    4. Assume this memory is connected to the CPU with a bus that operates at a speed of 100 MHz, and the bus stabalizaton time is 1/3ns, how long will it take to execute an instruction?
  5. MIPS: (5 pts), (Millions of Instructions Per Second) was once used to measure processor performance. How can this measurement be unfair?
  6. Memory Accesses
  7. RISC/CISC: (15 pts), give the expansion for each anacronym. Describe each type of computer. Discuss the design philosophy behind each. What are the relative merits of each type of architecture?
  8. Load/Store: (5 pts), when is a computer called a load/store computer?
  9. Branch Delay Slot: (10 pts), A branch delay slot is caused by instruction prefeatch. What is instruction prefeatch? What is a branch delay slot?
  10. Adders: (10 pts), Describe one method by which a ripple adder may be imporved. Discuss performance. What price does one pay to implement this method?