MP-Notes-001 Class: II CS

02 July 2024

Summary- Notes

 The Microprocessor
o Reads instructions from memory.
o Communicates with all peripherals (memory and I/Os) using the system bus.
o Controls the timing of information flow.
o Performs the computing tasks specified in a program.
 The memory
o Stores binary information, called instructions and data.
o Provides the instructions and data to the microprocessor on request.
o Stores results and data for the microprocessor.
 Input device
o Enters data and instructions under the control of a program such as a monitor
program
 The output device
o Accepts data from the microprocessor as specified in a program
 The bus
o Carries bits between the microprocessor and memory and I/Os.
 Computer structure
o Digital computer – a programmable machine that processes binary data. It is
represented by 5 components:
1. CPU
2. ALU plus Control Unit
3. Memory
4. Input
5. Output
o CPU- the central processing unit is a group of circuits that processes data and
provides control signals and timing. It includes ALU, registers, instruction
decoder and control unit
o ALU –the group of circuits that performs arithmetic and logic operations. The
ALU is a part of the CPU
o Control Unit – the groups circuits that provide timing and signals to all
operations in the computers and controls data flow
o Memory – a medium that stores binary information (instructions and data)
o Input – a device that transfers information from the outside world to the
computer
o Output – a device that transfers information form the computer to the outside
world
 Scale of Integration
o SSI (small scale integration) – the process of designing a few circuits on a
single chip. The term refers to the technology used to fabricate discrete logic
gates on a chip.
o MSI (medium scale integration) – the process of designing more than a
hundred gates on a single chip.

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 MP-Notes-001 Class: II CS
02 July 2024

o LSI (large scale integration) – the process of designing more than a thousand
gates on a single chip. Similarly, the terms VLSI (very large scale integration)
and SLSI (super large scale integration) are used to indicate the scale of
integration.
 Microcomputers
o Microprocessor (MPU) – a semiconductor device (integrated circuit)
manufactured by using the LSI technique. It includes the ALU, register arrays,
and control circuits on a single chip. The term MPU is also synonymous with
the microprocessor.
o Microprocessor based product – a machine or product that uses a
microprocessor to run or execute its operations. It is represented by three
components: microprocessor, memory and I/O (input and output).
o Bus – a group of lines used to transfer bits between the microprocessor and
other components of the computer system.
o RAM (Random Access Memory)
o ROM (Read Only Memory) – a memory that stores binary information
permanently. The information can be read from this memory but cannot be
altered.
o R/WM (Read/Write Memory) – a memory that stores binary information
during the operation of the computer. This memory is used as a writing pad to
write user programs and data. The information stored in this memory can be
read and altered easily.
 Computer Languages
o Bit – a binary digit, 0 or 1.
o Byte – a group of 8 bits.
o Nibble – a group of 4 bits.
o Word – a group of bits the computer recognizes and processes at a time.
o Instruction – a command in binary that is recognized and executed by the
computer to accomplish a task. Some instructions are designed with one
word, and some require multiple words.
o Mnemonics – a combination of letters to suggest the operation of an
instruction
o Program – a set of instructions written in a specific sequence for the computer
to accomplish a given task.
o Machine language – the binary medium of communication with a computer
through a designed set of instructions specific to each computer.
o Assembly language – a medium of communication with a computer in which
programs are written in mnemonics. An assembly language is specific to a
given computer.
o Low-level language – a medium of communication that is machine dependent
or specific to a given computer. The machine and the assembly languages of a
computer are considered low-level languages. Programs written in these
languages are not transferrable to different types of machines.

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 MP-Notes-001 Class: II CS
02 July 2024

o High- level language- a medium of communication that is independent of a

given computer. Programs are written in English – like words, and they can be
executed on a machine using a translator (a compiler or an interpreter).
o Source code – a program written either in mnemonics of an assembly language
or in English-like statements of a high-level language (before it is assembled
or compiled).
o Compiler – a program that translates English-like words of a high-level
language into the machine language of a computer. A complier reads a given
program, called a source code, in its entirety and then translates the program
into the machine language, which is called an object code.
o Interpreter – a program that translates the English-like statements of a high-
level language into the machine language of a computer. An interpreter
translates one statement at a time from a source code to an object code.
o Assembler – a computer program that translates an assembly language
program from mnemonics to the binary machine code of a computer.
o Manual assembly – a procedure of looking up the machine codes manually
from the instruction set of a computer and entering those into the computer
through a keyboard.
o ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange. This is a 7-bit
alphanumeric code with 128 combinations. Each combination is assigned to
either a letter, decimal digit, a symbol, or a machine command.
o Extended ASCII – an 8-bit code with 256 combinations. The ASCII code is
extended from seven bits to eight bits to include additional graphic symbols.
o Operating system – a set of programs that manages interaction between
hardware and software. It is responsible primarily for storing information on
disks and for communication between microprocessor, memory, and
peripherals.
o Monitor program – a program that interprets the input from a keyboard and
converts the input into its binary equivalent.
Questions
1. List the components of a computer
2. Explain the functions of each component of a computer
3. What is a microprocessor? What is the difference between a microprocessor and a
CPU?
4. Explain the difference between a microprocessor and a microcomputer.
5. Explain these terms: SSI, MSI and LSI.
6. Define: bit, byte, word and instruction.
7. How many bytes make a word of 32 bits?
8. Specify the number of registers in a 2K memory chip.
9. Calculate the number of registers in a 64K memory board.
10. Explain the difference between the machine language and the assembly language of
the 8085 microprocessor.
11. What is an assembler?
12. What are low and high level languages?

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 MP-Notes-001 Class: II CS
02 July 2024

13. Explain the difference between a compiler and an interpreter.

14. What are the advantages of an assembly language in comparison with high level
languages?
15. What is an ASCII code?
16. Identify the difference between the ASCII and the extended ASCII codes.
17. Find the ASCII codes for the letters “A”, “Z” and “m” from the ASCII table.
18. What is an operating system?
19. Identify the following peripherals as input and output: scanner, digital camera,
printer, keyboard, and mouse.

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