CS610 – Computer Architecture

Final Exam
Name: ABDUL WASE MOHAMMED GHOUSE
Multiple Choice and True/False (Each question is 3 points, total is 105 points)

1.
The level of the computer hierarchy that is composed of gates and wires is the: A)
control level.
B) machine level.
C) system software level.
D) digital logic level.
2.
The logic circuit below is supposed to implement the truth table also shown below. However,
one of the components is malfunctioning: It is producing the opposite of its specified output.
Which component is defective?

Actual
x y F
Output

0 0 0 1

0 1 0 0

1 0 1 0

1 1 0 1
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D

3.
The Boolean OR operation is also known as:
A) Boolean sum.
B) Boolean product.
 C) the complement of a Boolean OR. D) the complement of a
Boolean XOR.

4.
The Boolean function F(x, y, z) = y(x'z + xz) + x'yz' + xy'z simplifies to: A)
xz + x'y.
B) x'z + xy.
C) x'z + xyz. D) xy + x'z.

5.
The _______ is responsible for fetching program instructions, decoding each one, and
performing the indicated sequence of operations.
A) program counter
B) data path
C) control unit
D) central processing unit

6.
The __________ register keeps track of the next instruction to be fetched.
A) program counter
B) accumulator
C) address register
D) memory buffer register

7.
A “store” statement is an example of a(n) __________ instruction.
A) data movement
B) arithmetic
C) Boolean logic
D) bit manipulation
E) input/output
F) transfer of control

8.
To carry out a binary arithmetic operation, an accumulator architectures uses ______
operand(s).
A) zero
B) one
C) two
 D) either one or two

9.
Cache memory is typically positioned between:

A) the CPU and RAM.

B) the CPU and the hard drive.
C) ROM and RAM.
D) None of these is correct.

10.
What characteristic of RAM makes it unsuitable for permanent storage?
A) Not reliable
B) Too slow
C) Volatile
D) All of these are correct.

11.
Information can be retrieved fastest from: A)
hard disk.
B) magnetic tape.
C) optical disk.
D) USB flash drive.

12.
Cache mapping is necessary because:
A) the address generated by the CPU must be converted to a cache location.
B) cache is so small that its use requires a map.
C) cache is larger than main memory and mapping allows us to store multiple copies of
each piece of data from main memory. D) None of these is correct.

13.
The offset field of a main memory address is used to determine: A)
if the cache entry is valid.
B) if the cache entry is the desired block.
C) the location of the desired data in the cache block.
D) None of these is correct.
14.
Cache replacement policies are necessary:
A) to determine which cache mapping policy to use.
B) to determine which block in cache should be the victim block.
C) to decide where to put blocks when cache is empty.
D) All of these are correct.

15.
Cache memory is effective because: A)
it is very inexpensive.
B) it is very large.
C) it is very small.
D) of the principle of locality.

16.

_________________ law states the interrelationship of all components with the

overall efficiency of a computer system with a simple formula. A) Amdahl’s
B) Rock’s
C) Moore’s
D) Null’s

17. ______________ is the oldest and most cost-effective of all mass-storage

devices.

A) Magnetic disk
B) Compact disk
C) Magnetic tape
D) Floppy disk

18.
__________________ schedules the processor in the order in which they are requested. A)
First-come, first-served scheduling
B) Round robin scheduling
C) Last in first scheduling
D) Shortest job first scheduling
19.
___________ occurs when data is prefetched and cache is filled with data that no process
needs, leaving less space for useful data.
A) Opportunistic caching
B) Cache pollution
C) Disk overwrite
D) Cache fragmentation

20.
___________ gather(s) detailed behavior information using hardware or software probes into
the activity of the component of interest.
A) System traces
B) System drives
C) System trap
D) System process

21. The complement, F', of F(x, y, z) = x'(y'z) + (x'yz' + xz + xyz)' (not

simplified) is: A) x + (y + z')(x'yz' + xz + xyz).
B) x' + (y + z')'(x'yz' + xz + xyz)'.
C) x' + y'+ z + (x+ y'+ z)(x' + z')(x'+ y' + z').
D) (x + y + z')(x+ y'+ z)(x' + z')(x'+ y' + z').

22.
The Boolean expressions (xy)' = x' + y' and (x + y)' = x'y' are examples of (the): A)
Distributive Law.
B) Associative Law.
C) Absorption Law.
D) DeMorgan’s Law.

23
The complement, F', of F(x, y, z) = (xy + z') + (x'z + y) (not simplified) is: A)
(x + y + z')(x'yz).
B) (x'y' + z) + (x'z' + y).
C) z' (x + y) + y(x' + z).
D) ((x' + y')z)((x + z')y').
24.

What is the simplified expression for the following Kmap?

YZ
WX 00 01 11 10
00 1 1 1 1
01 1 1 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1
11
10

A) W' + W'X'Y + WX'YZ’

B) W'Y' + W'X' + X'YZ'
C) W'X' + W'XY' + WX'YZ'
D) W' + WX'YZ'

25

____________ requires a recharge every few milliseconds to maintain data.

A) ROM
B) Dynamic RAM
C) EEPROM
D) SRAM

26
________ memory is a small, high-speed, high-cost memory that servers as a buffer for
frequently accessed data.
A) ROM
B) RAM
C) Cache
D) SRAM

True/False

1.
Operating systems provide a necessary set of functions allowing software packages to control the
computer’s hardware.
 True False

2.
A timesharing system doesn’t permit the systems to be accessed by multiple concurrent users.
True False

3.
Prefetching used by drive–based caches is conceptually similar to CPU-to-memory caching in
that both leverage the principle of locality for better performance.
True False

4.
CPU optimization is not the only way to increase system performance.

True False

5.
Computer architecture encompasses all physical aspects of computer systems.

True False

6.
A control unit consists of a central processing unit (CPU) with an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and registers.
True False

7.
Signed-magnitude and two's complement both have two representations for zero.
True False

8.
Overflow is indicated when the carry in to the high-order bit is not equal to the carry out.
True False

9.
It is important to know if a computer is byte or word addressable because we need to know how many
addresses are contained in main memory, cache, and in each block when doing cache mapping.
True False

Solve the following problem: (15 points each question, total is 45 points)
1.
Subtract the following signed binary numbers as shown using 2's
complement arithmetic.

a) 11000100 b) 01011011 c) 10101100

- 00111011 - 00011111 - 00100100
a) Ans:

convert 2nd number to 2’s complement form.

00111011 converted to 11000101
2nd complement form
11000100 + 11000101 = 100000001
The result is 00000001
Represent 1 in decimal

b) Ans:

convert 2nd number to 2’s complement form.

01011011 converted to 10100101
2nd complement form
00011111 + 10100101 = 11000100
The result is 11000100
Represent -52 in decimal

C)Ans:
convert 2nd number to 2’s complement form.
00100100 converted to 11011100

2nd complement form

10101100 + 11011100 = 100010100
The result is 00010100
Represent 20 in decimal
2.

Simplify the following functional expressions using Boolean

algebra and its identities. List the identity used
at each step.
a) x(yz + y'z) + xy + x'y + xz
b) xyz'' + (y + z)' + x'yz
c) z(xy'+z)(x+y')

a) Ans:
Distribute (x) into the first term: [ x(yz) + x(y’z) + xy + x’y + xz ]
Apply the Absorption Law to the second term: [ xz + xy + x’y + xz ]
Combine the two (xz) terms: [ xz + xy + x’y ]
Apply the Consensus Theorem to the last three terms: [ xz + xy ]
Factor out (x): [ x(z + y) ]
The simplified expression is (x(z + y)).

b) Ans:

Apply the Complement Law to (z’‘): [ xyz + (y + z)’ + x’yz ]

Apply De Morgan’s Theorem to the second term: [ xyz + (y’z’) + x’yz ]
Apply the Complement Law to (y’z’): [ xyz + (yz) + x’yz ]
Combine the two (yz) terms: [ xyz + x’yz ]
Factor out (yz): [ yz(x + x’) ]
Since (x + x’ = 1), the simplified expression is (yz).

c) Ans:

Apply the Distributive Law to the first two terms: [ zxy’ + zz(x + y’) ]
Simplify (zz) to (z): [ zxy’ + z(x + y’) ]
Apply the Distributive Law again: [ zxy’ + zx + zy’ ]
Factor out (z): [ z(xy’ + x + y’) ]
Combine the terms inside the parentheses: [ z(xy’ + y’) ]
Apply the Absorption Law: [ zy’ ]
3. Using the basic identities of Boolean algebra, show that:

Ans:

Xy + x’z + yz = xy = x’z

expression: xy + x' z + yz

applying the distributive law, which states that X (Y + Z) =

XY + XZ

xy + x' z + yz (xy + x' z) + yz

we'll apply the rule of complementation, which states that X + X' Y X + Y

xy + x' z (xy + x' z) + yz

xy + x' z xy + (x’z + yz)

we'll apply the distributive law in the reverse to factor out z:

xy + x' z xy + (x' + y)z

we have xy + (x' + y)z which doesn't simplify further. So, the simplified

expression is:

xy + x' z + yz xy + x’z