2 MARKS QUESTIONS

1)Define computer architecture?

Computer Architecture = Machine Organisation + Instruction set Architecture

It is the combination of the computer Structure and behaviour as seen by the programmer that uses machine
language instructions. This includes the following:

1.Instruction Formats 2. Addressing Modes

3.Instruction Set 4. General Organisation of CPU registers

2)Write the symbol and truth table for NOT gate?

3)What is bit and byte?

Bit-
A bit is a binary digit, the smallest increment of data on a computer. A bit can hold only one of two values: 0
or 1, corresponding to the electrical values of off or on, respectively.
Byte-
It is a group of 8 bits and used in determining the system Storage.
It is the most common term used in computing.

4)What is static RAM and Dynamic RAM?

Both SRAM and DRAM are the types of Random Access Memory (RAM)
SRAM:

Data is stored in transistors and requires a constant power flow. Because of the continuous power, SRAM
doesn‟t need to be refreshed to remember the data being stored.

DRAM:

Data is stored in capacitors. Capacitors that store data in DRAM gradually discharge energy, no energy
means the data has been lost. So, a periodic refresh of power is required in order to function.
5)List basic computer registers with their functions?

6)What are the three control inputs for registers?

The three control inputs are
1.LD (LOAD) :
When LD = 1 for a register , the data on the common bus is read into the register during the next clock
pulse transition
2. INR (Increment) :
Increments the contents of the register.
3.CLR (Clear) :
Clears the content of a register to Zero

7)Define cache memory?

Cache memory is a small-sized type of volatile computer memory that provides high-speed data access to a
processor and stores frequently used computer programs, applications and data.

8)State any two characteristics of multiprocessor?

The two characteristics of Multiprocessor are
1.Increased readability
Multiprocessor systems can continue to operate even if one processor fails, as the remaining processors
can continue to execute the task.
2.Reduced cost
Multiprocessor systems can be more cost-effective than building multiple single-processor systems to
handle the same workload

9)Write the symbol and truth table for NOR gate?

10)Convert (11011)2 to grey code?

11) Define operation code and operand?

Operation code:
It is a part of the instruction that tells the processor what should be done.
Operand:
It is a part of the instruction that contains the data to be acted on, or the memory location of the data in a
register

12) What is IC? Write its types?

An integrated circuit is a small size electronic device constructed from semiconductor material which
includes many microscopic elements, such as Diodes, Transistors.
There 3 types of Integrated circuits:
1.Digital integrated circuit
2.Analog integrated circuit
3.Mixed integrated circuit

13)Define flip flop. Mention its types?

Flip flop is a basic memory device that can on bit of information and it contains clock signals
Types of flip flops
1.RS flip flop
2.D flip flop
3.JK flip flop
4.T flip flop
5.Master Slave JK flip flop

14)Write any four peripheral devices.

Peripheral devices are defined as a device that provides input/output functions for a computer and serves
as an auxiliary computer device without computing-intensive functionality.
Examples
Keyboard, Mouse, Trackball, Monitor, Printer etc.

15)Define Micro operation?

The operations performed on data stored in registers are known as Micro-operations

They can be classified into following types
1.Rigister transfer micro-operations
Which transfers binary information from one register to another
2.Arithmetic micro-operations
Which performs Arithmetic operations on numeric data stored in registers
3.Logic micro-operations
Which performs bit manipulation operations on Non numeric data stored in the registers
4.Shift micro-operations
Which performs Shift operations on the data stored in registers.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

1) Explain the working of a SR flip flop with a neat digram ?

Circuit diagram
2) Explain full adder with diagram
3) Explain multi threaded architecture..
4) Explain DMA controller with a neat diagram
5) Convert binary to octal number.(1101011)

6) What is ILP? State its limitations.

ILP is to achieve not only instruction overlap, but the actual execution of more than one instruction at a time
through dynamic scheduling and how to maximize the throughput of a processor. For typical RISC
processors, instructions usually depend on each other too and as a result the amount of overlap is limited.
7) What is RAID ? What are the advantages of using RAID technology for secondary storage ?

RAID or redundant array of independent disks is a data storage virtualization technology that combines
multiple physical disk drive components into one or more logical units for data redundancy, performance
improvement, or both.

It is a way of storing the same data in different places on multiple hard disks or solid-state drives to protect
data in the case of a drive failure. A RAID system consists of two or more drives working in parallel. These
can be hard discs, but there is a trend to use SSD technology (Solid State Drives).
8) Explain Line decoder with truth table.
Decoder :
The combinational circuit that change the binary information into 2N output lines is known as Decoders.
The binary information is passed in the form of N input lines. In simple words, the Decoder performs the
reverse operation of the Encoder. At a time, only one input line is activated for simplicity.
 11) Explain I/O interface unit with a neat diagram.
Input-Output Interface
Input-Output Interface is used as method which helps in transferring of information between the internal
storage devices i.e., memory and the external peripheral device. A peripheral device is that which provide
input and output for the computer, it is also called Input-Output devices.

For Example: A keyboard and mouse provide Input to the computer are called input devices while a monitor
and printer that provide output to the computer are called output devices. Just like the external hard-drives,
there is also availability of some peripheral devices which are able to provide both input and output.
In micro-computer base system, the only purpose of peripheral devices is just toprovide special
communication links for the interfacing them with the CPU. Toresolve the differences between peripheral
devices and CPU, there is a special need for communication links.
12) State and prove De Morgan’s theorem.
15) Explain CISC and RISC.

RISC and CISC are two different types of computer architectures that are used to design the microprocessors
that are found in computers.

RISC

It stands for Reduced Instruction Set computer

In the RISC architecture, the instruction set of the computer system is simplified to reduce the execution
time. RISC architecture has a small set of instructions that generally includes register-to-register operations.
RISC processors can execute only one instruction per clock cycle.

The following are some important characteristics of RISC Processor −

 A RISC processor has a few instructions.
 RISC processor has a few addressing modes.
 In the RISC processor, all operations are performed within the registers of the CPU.
 RISC processor can be of fixed-length.
 RISC can be hardwired rather than micro-programmed control.
 RISC is used for single-cycle instruction execution.
 RISC processor has easily decodable instruction format.
CISC

The CISC architecture comprises a complex instruction set. A CISC processor has a variable-length
instruction format. In this processor architecture, the instructions that require register operands can take only
two bytes.

In a CISC processor architecture, the instructions which require two memory addresses can take five bytes
to comprise the complete instruction code. Therefore, in a CISC processor, the execution of instructions may
take a varying number of clock cycles. The CISC processor also provides direct manipulation of operands
that are stored in the memory.

The following are the important characteristics of CISC processor architecture −

 CISC can have variable-length instruction formats.
 It supports a set of a large number of instructions, typically from 100 to 250 instructions.
 It has a large variety of addressing modes, typically from 5 to 20 different modes.
 CISC has some instructions which perform specialized tasks and are used infrequently.

10) Explain the half adder

18) S Simplify the following using K-map
F(A,B,C,D) = ∑m(0,2,3,4,6,8,9,13)+ ∑d(7,10,12).
19) Explain any five addressing modes.

Addressing modes:
Addressing modes refers to the way in which the operand of an instruction is
specified.
Types of Addressing Modes-
1. Implied / Implicit Addressing Mode
2. Stack Addressing Mode
3. Immediate Addressing Mode
4. Direct Addressing Mode
5. Indirect Addressing Mode

1. Implied / Implicit Addressing Mode

In this addressing mode,
 The definition of the instruction itself specify the operands implicitly.
 It is also called as implicit addressing mode.
Examples-
The instruction “Complement Accumulator” is an implied mode instruction.

2. Stack Addressing Mode

In this addressing mode,
 The operand is contained at the top of the stack.
Example-
ADD
 This instruction simply pops out two symbols contained at the top of the stack.
 The addition of those two operands is performed.
 The result so obtained after addition is pushed again at the top of the stack.

3. Immediate Addressing Mode

In this addressing mode,
 The operand is specified in the instruction explicitly.
 Instead of address field, an operand field is present that contains the operand.
Example
ADD 10
AC AC + 10

4. Direct Addressing Mode

In this addressing mode,

 The address field of the instruction contains the effective address of the operand.
 Only one reference to memory is required to fetch the operand.
 It is also called as absolute addressing mode.
Example-
ADD 320
AC AC + M[320]
ADD X
AC AC + M[X]
5. Indirect Addressing Mode
In this addressing mode,
 The address field of the instruction specifies the address of memory location that
contains the effective address of the operand.
 Two references to memory are required to fetch the operand.
Example-
ADD 320
AC AC + M [[320]]
ADD X
AC AC + M [[X]]

20) Explain the basic computer registers.

Computer Registers
Registers are a type of computer memory used to quickly accept, store, and transfer data and instructions
that are being used immediately by the CPU. The registers used by the CPU are often termed as Processor
registers.
20) Explain Arithmetic micro-operations with example?
Examples :

 Addition –
In addition micro-operation, the value in register R1 is added to the value in the register R2 and
then the sum is transferred into register R3.

 Subtraction –
In subtraction micro-operation, the contents of register R2 are subtracted from contents of the
register R1, and then the result is transferred into R3.

There is another way of doing the subtraction. In this, 2‟s complement of R2 is added to R1, which is
equivalent to R1 – R2, and then the result is transferred into register R3.

 Increment –
In Increment micro-operation, the value inside the R1 register is increased by 1.

 Decrement –
In Decrement micro-operation, the value inside the R1 register is decreased by 1.

 1’s Complement –
In this micro-operation, the complement of the value inside the register R1 is taken.
  2’s Complement –
In this micro-operation, the complement of the value inside the register R2 is taken and then 1
is added to the value and then the final result is transferred into the register R2. This process is
also called Negation. It is equivalent to -R2.

23) Simplify using K-Map

F(P,Q,R,S)= ∑(0,2,5,7,8,10,13,15)
25)Draw a flow chart explaining the Instruction cycle ?

Instruction Cycle
A program residing in the memory unit of a computer consists of a sequence of
instructions. These instructions are executed by the processor by going through a cycle for each instruction.
In a basic computer, each instruction cycle consists of the following phases:
1. Fetch instruction from memory.
2. Decode the instruction.
3. Read the effective address from memory.
4. Execute the instruction.

For 8 Marks extra answer :

27) Explain magnetic disks and optical disks?
1. Magnetic disks:
A magnetic disk is a storage device that uses a magnetization process to write, rewrite and access data. It is
covered with a magnetic coating and stores data in the form of tracks, spots and sectors. Hard disks, zip
disks and floppy disks are common examples of magnetic disks.

i. Floppy Disk: A floppy disk is a flexible disk with a magnetic coating on it, and it is packaged inside a
protective plastic envelope. These are among the oldest portable storage devices that could store up to 1.44
MB of data, but now they are not used due to very little memory storage.
ii. Hard Disk Drive (HDD): Hard disk drive comprises a series of circular disks
called platters arranged one over the other almost 1⁄2 inches apart around a spindle. Disks are made of non-
magnetic material like aluminium alloy and coated with 10-20 nm magnetic material. Data is stored by
magnetizing or demagnetizing the magnetic coating. A magnetic reader arm is used to read data from and
write data to the disks. A typical modern HDD has a capacity in terabytes (TB).

2. Optical Disk:
An optical disk is any computer disk that uses optical storage techniques
and technology to read and write data. It is a computer storage disk that stores data digitally and uses laser
beams to read and write data.
i. CD Drive: CD stands for Compact Disk. CDs are circular disks that use optical rays, usually lasers, to
read and write data. They are very cheap as you can get 700 MB of storage space for less than a dollar. CDs
are inserted in CD drives built into the CPU cabinet. They are portable as you can eject the drive, remove the
CD and carry it with you.
There are three types of CDs:
 CD-ROM (Compact Disk - Read Only Memory): The manufacturer recorded
the data on these CDs. Proprietary Software, audio or video are released on
CD-ROMs.
 CD-R (Compact Disk - Recordable): The user can write data once on the CD-R. It cannot be deleted
or modified later.
 CD-RW (Compact Disk - Rewritable): Data can repeatedly be written and deleted on these optical
disks.

ii. DVD Drive: DVD stands for digital video display. DVD is an optical device that can store 15 times the
data held by CDs. They are usually used to store rich multimedia files that need high storage capacity.
DVDs also come in three varieties - read-only, recordable and rewritable.
iii. Blu Ray Disk: Blu Ray Disk (BD) is an optical storage media that stores high
definition (HD) video and other multimedia files. BD uses a shorter wavelength laser than CD/DVD,
enabling the writing arm to focus more tightly on the disk and pack in more data. BDs can store up to 128
GB of data.

16) Explain associative memory.

Associative memory is also known as content addressable memory (CAM) or associative storage or
associative array. It is a special type of memory that is optimized for performing searches through data, as
opposed to providing a simple direct access to the data based on the address.
it can store the set of patterns as memories when the associative memory is being presented with a key
pattern, it responds by producing one of the stored pattern which closely resembles or relates to the key
pattern.
How Does Associative Memory Work?
In conventional memory, data is stored in specific locations, called addresses, and retrieved by referencing
those addresses. In associative memory, data is stored together with additional tags or metadata that
describe its content. When a search is performed, the associative memory compares the search query with
the tags of all stored data, and retrieves the data that matches the query.
Hardware organization of associative memory:-

Block Diagram of associative memory

 Argument Register: It contains words to be searched. It contains „n‟ number of bits.

 Match Register: It has m-bits, One bit corresponding to each word in the memory array. After
the making process, the bits corresponding to matching words in match register are set to „1‟.
 Key Register: It provides a mask of choosing a particular field/key in argument register. It
specifies which part of the argument word need to be compared with words in memory.
 Associative Memory Array: It combines word in that are to be compared with the arguments
word in parallel. It contains „m‟ words with „n‟ bit per word.

For 8 marks extra answer :

Applications of Associative memory :-

1. It can be only used in memory allocation format.
2. It is widely used in the database management systems, etc.
3. Networking: Associative memory is used in network routing tables to quickly find the path to a
destination network based on its address.
4. Image processing: Associative memory is used in image processing applications to search for
specific features or patterns within an image.
5. Artificial intelligence: Associative memory is used in artificial intelligence applications such as
expert systems and pattern recognition.
6. Database management: Associative memory can be used in database management systems to
quickly retrieve data based on its content.
Advantages of Associative memory :-
1. It is used where search time needs to be less or short.
2. It is suitable for parallel searches.
3. It is often used to speedup databases.
4. It is used in page tables used by the virtual memory and used in neural networks.
Disadvantages of Associative memory :-
1. It is more expensive than RAM
1. Each cell must have storage capability and logical circuits for matching its content with
external argument
26) Explain BUN and BSA?
17) What are the types of binary codes?
Binary code is any data, text, or computer instructions represented using a two-symbol system. These two
numeral symbols are 0 and 1. Computers and digital electronic devices can only communicate using 0‟s and
1‟s.

Types of binary code

Different types of binary code each have specific properties and uses in computers and digital electronics.

Four types of binary code:

 Weighted binary code

 Non-weighted binary code
 Alphanumeric code
 Error detection and correction codes

 Weighted binary code

Weighted binary code is a binary code that obeys the positional weight system. This is a system where every
digit is assigned a specific weight based on its position.

These values originate from 2 to the power of their binary position: 24 , 2³ , 2² , 2¹ , 2⁰ , starting from the
most significant bit (MSB) to the least significant bit (LSB).

BCD code is an example of a weighted binary code. It is also known as 8421 code. In the BCD encoding
method, every decimal digit is represented by a four-bit binary number. Binary Coded Decimal code allows
us to convert decimal numbers into their binary equivalents easily.

We can represent 16 numbers using the BCD number system. (From 0000 – 1111).

 Non-weighted binary code

Non-weighted code is used for special applications where a binary weight is not needed. Non-weighted code
does not use positional weights to convert binary code to other systems like decimal, hexadecimal, octal, or
any other system. Examples of non-weighted code include
Excess-3 code and Gray code.

Excess-3 code is also known as XS-3 code. Excess-3 code is a non-weighted code that is derived from the
8421 BCD code. Every number on the 8421 code is incremented by 0011 to achieve the XS-3 code. 3 is the
decimal equivalent of 0011, hence the name XS-3.

Gray code is a non-weighted code that is used as a unit distance code. It cannot be used for any arithmetic
operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division (Boolean algebraic operations). Gray code
implements a unique system where only one-bit changes for every decimal number. This ensures alignment
and synchronicity, thus reducing error rate
  Alphanumeric codes

Computers work with only 0‟s and 1‟s. However, there is a need for more advanced forms of
communication with machines. This is why alphanumeric code is important. It includes 26 characters for the
letters of the alphabet, and 10 more for symbols like !@#$%^&.

Alphanumeric code represents both numbers and alphabetical characters. The most common types of
alphanumeric code are EBCDIC and ASCII.

EBCDIC

EBCDIC stands for Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code. EBCDIC code is an 8-bit code
that is mainly used in IBM mainframe and IBM midrange computer operating systems.

ASCII

ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. ASCII code is a 7-bit code used
in smaller computers. ASCII code represents the numbers from 0 to 9, ninety-five upper and lowercase
letters of the alphabet, punctuation marks, and a blank space. In total, ASCII encodes 128 characters.

 Error detection and correction codes

Error detection codes − are used to detect the errors present in the received data bitstream

. These codes contain some bits which are included appended to the original bit stream. These codes detect
the error, if it is occurred during transmission of the original data bitstream

.Example − Parity code, Hamming code.

Error correction codes − are used to correct the errors present in the received data bitstream

so that, we will get the original data. Error correction codes also use the similar strategy of error detection
codes.

Example − Hamming code.

9) Explain the 4 to 1 multiplexer.
A Multiplexer is a combinational circuit that has 2^n input data lines, n selection lines and one output line.
The selection lines selects one input out of the 2^n inputs as the output of the multiplexer.
13) With a neat diagram explain the working of digital computer.
22)Explain Multiprocessor and multiComputers.