Course: Computer Architecture (3416) Semester: Spring, 2012
Level: BS (CS) Total Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 40

ASSIGNMENT No. 1

Note: All questions carry equal marks.

Q. 1 Discuss the functional view of a computer system? How it is related with the structural view?

Q. 2 Do some research on Internet and explore the latest generation of computers? Write some important and distinct features of latest generation.

Q. 3 Explain basic instruction cycle. State your answer with the help of diagram.

Q. 4 Elaborate the concept of multiple bus hierarchies. Give brief description of bus types and their uses.

Q. 5 Give reason why RAMs traditionally have been organized as only one bit per chip whereas ROMs are usually organized with multiple bits per chip.
ASSIGNMENT No. 2
Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 40

Note: All questions carry equal marks.

Q. 1 In virtually all systems that include DMA modules. DMA access to main memory is given higher priority than the processor access to main memory. Why?

Q. 2 Give reasons that page in a virtual memory system should be neither very small nor very large.

Q. 3 Using 1’s and 2’s complements perform the following subtractions.
a) 1000110 – 11011
b) 1101010 – 110100
c) 10011.1101 – 101.11
d) 1010 – 11011

Q. 4 Many instructional sets contain the instruction NOOP, meaning no operation, which has no effect on the state of CPU (like changing contents of any register or memory location) other than incrementing the program counter. Suggest some uses of this instruction.

Q. 5 Discuss the characteristics and functions of instructional sets. State your answer in the context of operator and operand types.



3416 Computer Architecture Credit Hours: 4 (4+0)

Recommended Book:
Computer Organization & Architecture by WILLIAM SALLINGS 4th Edition

Course Outlines:
Unit No. 1 Computer Architecture Introduction
Introduction to Computer Organization & Architecture, Structure and Functions, Brief History of Computers, Designing for Performance, Pentium & Power PC Evolution

Unit No. 2 Basics of Computer Architecture
Computer Components, Computer Functions, Interconnection Structure, Bus Interconnection, PCI

Unit No. 3 Memory Organization
Internal Memory (Computer Memory system Overview, Semiconductor Main Memory, Cache Memory, Advance DRAM Organization), External Memory (Magnetic Disk, RAID, Optical memory, Magnetic Tape)

Unit No. 4 Input Output Design & Operating System Support
External Devices, I/O Modules, Programmed I/O, Interrupt Driven I/O, DMA, I/O Channels and Processors, External Interface, Operating System Overview, Scheduling, Memory Management

Unit No. 5 Computer Arithmetic
ALU, Integer Representation, Integer Arithmetic, Floating Point Representation, Floating-Point Arithmetic

Unit No. 6 Instruction Sets: Characteristics and Functions
Machine Instruction Characteristics, Types of Operands and Types of Operations, Assembly Language

Unit No.7 Instruction Sets: Addressing Modes and Formats
Addressing, Instruction

Unit No. 8 CPU Instruction and Function
Processor Organization, Register Organization, Instruction Cycle, Instruction Pipelining, Pentium Processor, Power PC Processor

Unit No. 9 Control Unit Operation
Micro Operations, Control of the CPU

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