Overview of Computer Architecture: Master the Fundamentals

Question 1

Which pioneering figure in computer science is widely recognized as the 'father of computer architecture'?

Accepted Answer

John von Neumann

Answer

Charles Babbage

Answer

Alan Turing

Answer

Grace Hopper

Question 2

In which architectural model are data and instructions stored in separate memories?

Accepted Answer

Harvard

Answer

Von Neumann

Answer

CISC

Answer

RISC

Question 3

Which metric measures the rate at which a computer executes instructions?

Accepted Answer

Speed

Answer

Throughput

Answer

Power consumption

Answer

Reliability

Question 4

In the context of computer architecture, what is the primary function of a 'pipeline'?

Accepted Answer

To enhance instruction execution speed

Answer

To provide temporary storage for data

Answer

To manage interrupt handling

Answer

To organize memory efficiently

Question 5

What is the primary purpose of a cache in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To store frequently accessed data for faster retrieval

Answer

To expand the overall memory capacity

Answer

To handle interrupt requests

Answer

To perform arithmetic operations

Question 6

Which classification in Flynn's Taxonomy describes a computer system that executes a single instruction on a single data item at a time?

Accepted Answer

Single-instruction, single-data (SISD)

Answer

Multiple-instruction, multiple-data (MIMD)

Answer

Superscalar

Answer

Out-of-order execution

Question 7

What is the primary advantage of using a multi-core processor over a single-core processor?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced performance and speed

Answer

Reduced energy consumption

Answer

Lower overall cost

Answer

Improved system reliability

Question 8

Which key metric is used to assess the energy efficiency of a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Instructions per watt

Answer

Performance per dollar

Answer

Clock speed

Answer

Memory bandwidth

Question 9

In a pipelined architecture, what is the primary function of an instruction queue?

Accepted Answer

To store instructions awaiting execution

Answer

To decode instructions into micro-operations

Answer

To perform branch prediction

Answer

To manage exception handling

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental aspect of von Neumann architecture?

Accepted Answer

Dynamic memory allocation

Answer

Sequential execution of instructions

Answer

Stored program concept

Answer

Separate memory space for data and instructions

Question 11

What is the primary function of a hardware abstraction layer (HAL)?

Accepted Answer

To provide a software interface to hardware, making it software-independent

Answer

To improve system performance by optimizing data transfer rates

Answer

To enhance virtualization capabilities by isolating hardware resources

Answer

To manage memory allocation and memory protection mechanisms

Question 12

Which of the following is a significant advantage of employing pipelining in computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced instruction throughput and execution efficiency

Answer

Reduced memory latency and improved cache performance

Answer

Increased cache size and reduced memory access conflicts

Answer

Enhanced branching efficiency and reduced control hazards

Question 13

Which of the following is a characteristic of a multicore processor?

Accepted Answer

It integrates multiple independent processing units onto a single chip

Answer

It increases memory capacity by providing more memory slots

Answer

It operates at a higher clock speed than single-core processors

Answer

It reduces power consumption by dynamically adjusting processor utilization

Question 14

What is the primary responsibility of an operating system in a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Managing hardware resources, such as memory, processors, and peripherals

Answer

Providing a user-friendly interface for interacting with the system

Answer

Executing application software and facilitating program execution

Answer

Storing and managing data on storage devices

Question 15

What is the significance of Moore's Law in the context of computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

It predicts a consistent exponential growth in the number of transistors that can be packed onto an integrated circuit

Answer

It establishes design principles for optimizing processor performance and efficiency

Answer

It determines the maximum size of memory chips that can be manufactured

Answer

It governs the speed at which data can be transmitted over communication channels

Question 16

Define the scope of computer architecture, outlining its primary areas of focus and its relationship to other fields within computer science.

Accepted Answer

Computer architecture involves the design and implementation of computer systems, including hardware, software, and networking.

Answer

Computer architecture solely encompasses the hardware components of computer systems.

Answer

Computer architecture primarily focuses on how computer programs are executed on physical hardware.

Answer

Computer architecture is not connected to other disciplines within computer science.

Question 17

Which of the following is a significant challenge in designing I/O systems for high-performance computing environments?

Accepted Answer

Bridging the performance gap between I/O devices and the processor

Accepted Answer

Ensuring data integrity during high-speed data transfers

Accepted Answer

Reducing the latency of I/O operations

Answer

Minimizing the cost of I/O devices

Question 18

In computer architecture, what is the primary function of interconnection networks?

Accepted Answer

Enable communication and data exchange among computer system components

Answer

Enhance computer system performance by reducing latency

Answer

Only relevant for high-performance computing systems

Answer

Manage data storage and retrieval in computer systems

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a core concept in computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Artificial intelligence

Answer

Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)

Answer

Memory hierarchy

Answer

Virtualization

Question 20

Which performance metric measures the average time it takes for a computer to execute a single instruction?

Accepted Answer

CPI (Clocks Per Instruction)

Answer

IPC (Instructions Per Clock)

Answer

MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second)

Answer

FLOPS (Floating Point Operations Per Second)

Question 21

What is the primary benefit of pipelining in computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Overlapping the execution of multiple instructions

Answer

Increasing the clock rate

Answer

Eliminating data hazards

Answer

Reducing the number of registers

Question 22

The fundamental difference between a uniprocessor and a multiprocessor system is the:

Accepted Answer

Number of processing units

Answer

Type of memory architecture

Answer

Bus topology

Answer

Operating system

Question 23

Which of these is NOT a characteristic of the von Neumann architecture?

Accepted Answer

Separate memory for data and instructions

Answer

A single memory space for both instructions and data

Answer

Linear memory address space

Answer

A central processing unit (CPU) for executing instructions

Question 24

Which of the following is a fundamental component of a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Processor

Answer

User interface

Answer

Applications

Answer

Operating system

Question 25

The classification of computer architectures based on their instruction set is known as:

Accepted Answer

Instruction set architecture (ISA)

Answer

Data path architecture

Answer

System architecture

Answer

Control architecture

Question 26

Which performance metric measures the average number of clock cycles required for a processor to complete an instruction?

Accepted Answer

Clock cycles per instruction (CPI)

Answer

Memory access time

Answer

Bus bandwidth

Answer

Instructions per second (IPS)

Question 27

What is the primary function of the control unit in a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Sequencing and controlling the execution of instructions

Answer

Storing data and instructions

Answer

Performing arithmetic and logical operations

Question 28

What is the purpose of a cache memory in a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

To store frequently accessed data and instructions for faster retrieval

Answer

To manage input and output operations

Answer

To store all data and instructions permanently

Question 29

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using a virtual memory system?

Accepted Answer

Increased memory access latency

Answer

Reduced memory fragmentation

Answer

Enhanced security and isolation

Answer

Improved memory access speed

Question 30

What is the purpose of a memory management unit (MMU) in a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

To manage physical memory addresses and provide memory protection

Answer

To manage input and output devices

Answer

To store the operating system kernel

Question 31

Which of the following is not considered a fundamental component of a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Application

Answer

Memory

Answer

Processor

Answer

Input/Output devices

Question 32

What is the primary purpose of the fetch-decode-execute cycle in a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

To process instructions in sequential order.

Answer

To optimize memory access performance.

Answer

To reduce energy consumption.

Answer

To enhance the speed of the processor.

Question 33

Which performance metric measures the time taken for a computer to complete a specific task?

Accepted Answer

Execution Time

Answer

Latency

Answer

Reliability

Answer

Throughput

Question 34

What is the key difference between a 32-bit and a 64-bit computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

The maximum size of data that can be processed at once.

Answer

The number of processors supported.

Answer

The type of operating system that can be used.

Answer

The speed at which data can be transferred between components.

Question 35

Which of the following is an advantage of using a Von Neumann architecture?

Accepted Answer

Simplified design and implementation.

Answer

Enhanced data security.

Answer

Faster execution of instructions.

Answer

Larger memory capacity.

Question 36

What is the primary purpose of a cache memory in a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

To store frequently used data for expedited retrieval.

Answer

To increase the overall size of the primary memory.

Answer

To manage the transfer of data between different components.

Question 37

What is the primary responsibility of an operating system within a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Managing hardware and software resources.

Answer

Providing a graphical user interface.

Answer

Executing user applications.

Answer

Storing data permanently.

Question 38

Who is widely regarded as the 'Father of Computer Architecture' due to their contributions to the development of the stored-program concept and the von Neumann architecture?

Accepted Answer

John von Neumann

Answer

Grace Hopper

Answer

Charles Babbage

Answer

Alan Turing

Question 39

Which characteristic is the primary basis for classifying different computer architectures?

Accepted Answer

Instruction set

Answer

Input/Output mechanisms

Answer

Memory hierarchy

Answer

Processor design

Question 40

Which performance metric quantifies the rate at which a computer executes instructions?

Accepted Answer

MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second)

Answer

BW (Bandwidth)

Answer

FLOPS (Floating-Point Operations Per Second)

Answer

IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second)

Question 41

In computer architecture, what is the fundamental unit of data that is processed and manipulated?

Accepted Answer

Register

Answer

ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)

Answer

Bus

Answer

Cache

Question 42

Which computer architecture design approach emphasizes achieving high instruction parallelism by executing multiple instructions concurrently?

Accepted Answer

Superscalar

Answer

CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer)

Answer

MIMD (Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data)

Answer

RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)

Question 43

What technique is commonly used to enhance memory performance by storing frequently accessed data in a smaller, faster memory, reducing the latency of data retrieval?

Accepted Answer

Caching

Answer

Prefetching

Answer

Multithreading

Answer

Virtualization

Question 44

In a computer system, which type of bus is responsible for transferring data between the processor and the main memory?

Accepted Answer

System bus

Answer

I/O (Input/Output) bus

Answer

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus

Answer

Expansion bus

Question 45

Which hardware component is central to a computer system and responsible for interpreting and executing instructions?

Accepted Answer

Processor

Answer

Memory

Answer

Bus

Answer

Cache

Question 46

In multiprocessor systems, which interconnection topology connects all processors to a common bus, providing a shared communication medium?

Accepted Answer

Bus

Answer

Ring

Answer

Star

Answer

Tree

Question 47

What is the process of dividing a task into smaller, independent subtasks that can be executed concurrently to improve overall performance?

Accepted Answer

Multithreading

Answer

Clustering

Answer

Load balancing

Answer

Virtualization

Question 48

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental component of the von Neumann architecture?

Accepted Answer

Program and data stored in separate memory

Answer

Data stored in memory

Answer

Input/output (I/O) devices

Answer

Central processing unit (CPU)

Question 49

What is the primary function of a bus within a computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

To transfer data between different components of the system

Answer

To control the overall operation of the system

Answer

To store data permanently

Answer

To perform arithmetic and logical operations on data

Question 50

What is the primary purpose of a cache memory in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To store frequently accessed data and instructions for faster retrieval

Answer

To store user applications and programs

Answer

To store the operating system files

Answer

To store data related to peripheral devices

Question 51

What is the fundamental difference between a load instruction and a store instruction in computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Load instructions read data from memory, while store instructions write data to memory

Answer

Load instructions typically execute faster than store instructions

Answer

Store instructions require more operands than load instructions