Computer Organization Test 1

What is a label? How is a label specified in an assembly program?

A name with a colon that identifies memory locations. For example. main:

How is character data represented on a computer?

Characters are represented by integer codes ASCII Unicode

Know the difference between RISC and CISC architectures.

RISC - Reduced Instruction Set Computer. A small, highly-optimized set of instructions. Requires more machine instructions per high-level operation. Simplified hardware that runs faster. Ex. MIPS, ARM CISC - Complex Instruction Set Computer Multiple versions of each machine instruction. Ex. Intel x86

Signed and unsigned values?

Signed values, the first bit tells if it is negative or positive

four principles of hardware design?

Simplicity favors regularity Smaller is faster Make the common case fast Good design demands good compromises

What are the five areas of a program's memory? Be able to identify them on chart

Stack segment dynamic data static data text segment reserved See Mips Assembly slide 19

Why Use Assembly Language?

for speed or size of a critical application compiler may not produce the best instructions have better control over which instructions are used

Byte: Word: Half-Word:

8 32 16

What is an immediate value?

An immediate is a value that is stored as part of the instruction instead of in memory.

What is the relationship between assembly language and machine language?

Assembly language must be converted into machine code (ONE TO ONE).

Why do computers use the binary number system?

Because the 0 and 1s represent voltage levels in the processor. All data is represented by these voltages.

What is the fetch execute cycle?

Fetch next instruction decode instruction execute instruction repeat

What is computer organization and y is it important to the computer science dicipline?

Focuses on the physical aspects of a computer system.

What are the 3 programming languages and how r they related?

High level, assembly, and machine. High level can be translated to assembly (MANY TO ONE), assembly must be translated into machine language (ONE TO ONE).

What is the Assembler

Translates assembly language instructions into machine language instructions

What is an assembler directive?

instructions used by the assembler to help automate the assembly process and to improve program readability. ex. .text