YOUR NAME: Matthew Pursley
To successfully complete this assignment, you must demonstrate that you have studied the information found
in the materials provided in this assignment.
1. In your own words, give a detailed definition of ‘Computer Organization’
Computer Organization is the operational structure of a computer system and how it functions. This
involves the design of instructions for how computers execute its instructions.
2. In your own words, give a detailed definition of ‘Computer Architecture’
Computer Architecture is how the computer design work with one another. This involves the physical
components and how data is transferred between them.
3. In the grid below, compare ‘Computer Organization’ and 'Computer Architecture’ listing 7 differences
between the two
Computer Architecture
EX Architecture describes what the computer
does.
Computer Organization
Organization describes how the computer
does it.
1
Is concerned with the structure and behaviour of a
computer system as seen by the user.
Is concerned with the way hardware components
are connected together to form a computer
system.
2
Acts as the interface between hardware and
software.
Deals with the components of a connection in a
system
3
Helps us to understand the functionalities of a
system
Tells us how exactly all the units in the system are
arranged and interconnected.
4
A programmer can view architecture in terms of
instructions, addressing modes and registers.
A programmer can view organization as
expressing the realization of architecture.
5
While designing a computer system architecture is
considered first.
An organization is done on the basis of
architecture.
6
Deals with high-level design issues.
Deals with low-level design issues.
7
Involves Logic
Involves Physical Components
4. Describe the importance of each of the following:
1) Transistor – They were invented by Bell Laboratories and were a fraction the size of a vacuum tube
and consumed less power.
2) Lisa – Was the the first personal computer with a GUI.
3) Intel – Leads the global market in IC manufacturing, research and development.
4) Atanasoff and Berry – Built the Atanasoff-Berry Computer that was the first digital electronic
computer but could not be programmed
5) Korad Zuse – Built the Z3, the first working programmable, fully automatic computing machine.
6) Kilby and Noyce – Invented the Integrated Circuit.
5. What is the best-known example of a digital system?
The best-known example of a digital system is the general-purpose computer.
6. What is the most well-known input device?
The most well-known input device is the keyboard.
7. What does CPU stand for and what does it do?
The central processing unit (CPU) carries out the instructions given by a computer program by
performing the basic arithmetic, logical, control and input/output operations.
8. The 2 categories of the memory unit are:
1) Primary memory
2) Secondary memory
9. List the 6 main components of a computer
1) Input unit
2) Central processing unit
3) Memory unit
4) Arithmetic & logical unit
5) Control unit
6) Output unit
10. The 2 most common types of primary memory are:
1) RAM
2)
ROM
11. ALU is short for what unit of the digital system
Arithmetic and Logical Unit (ALU) performs arithmetic operations and logical operations.
12. What is the job of the ALU?
ALU performs arithmetic operations and logical operations
13. What is the job of the control unit?
The control unit coordinates the operation of the processor, telling how the computer responds to a
program’s instructions.
14. What is the most common example of an output device?
Monitor
15. What is the function of output units?
Output unit sends the processed results to the user.
16. List 4 special function registers and what each does:
1) Program counters (PC) – monitors the execution of instructions. It keeps track on which
instruction is being executed and what the next instruction will be.
2) Instruction registers (IR) – holds the instruction that is currently being executed.
3) Memory address registers (MAR) – holds the address of the main memory to or from which data is
to be transferred.
4) Memory data registers (MDR) – contains the data to be written into or read from the addressed
word of the main memory.
List 2 ways in which the processor can service devices and how each works:
5) The polling routine enables the processor software to check each of the input and output devices
frequently to see if any need servicing.
6) The interrupt method provides an external asynchronous input that informs the processor that it
should complete whatever instruction that is currently being executed and fetch a new routine that
will service the requesting device.
17. General System Architecture is divided into the following major classification units:
1)
Store Program Control Concept
2)
Flynn’s Classification of Computers
18. List the 3 parts of the Stored Program Control Concept.
1) Von-Neumann Model
2) General Purpose System
3) Parallel Processing
19. List the 4 parts of Flyn’s Classification of Computers.
1) Single instruction stream, single data stream (SISD)
2) Single instruction stream, multiple data stream (SIMD)
3) Multiple instruction stream, single data stream (MISD)
4) Multiple instruction stream, multiple data stream (MIMD)
20. What was the name of the first computing system based on the Stored Program Control Concept?
Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC)
21. List the 3 components of the Von Neumann Model.
1) Main Memory Unit
2) The Central Processing Unit
3) The Input/Output Device
22. List the 5 registers from the Von Neumann Model that play an integral part in data processing and describe
what each does.
1
Register
Accumulator
Description
Stores the results of calculations made by ALU
2
Program Counter
3
Memory Register (MDR/MAR)
4
Current Instruction Register
5
Instruction Buffer Register
Keeps track of the memory location of the next instructions to
be dealt with
MAR – stores the memory locations of instructions that need
to be fetched from memory or stored.
MDR – stores instructions fetched from memory or any data
that is to be transferred to memory
Stores the most recently fetched instructions while it is waiting
to be coded and executed.
The instruction that is not to be executed immediately is
placed in the instruction buffer register
23. Von-Neumann Architecture is comprised of 3 major bus systems for data transfer. List and describe.
Bus
Data Bus
Description
Carries the data among the memory unit, the I/O devices, and
the processor
2
Address Bus
Carries the address of data between memory and processor
3
Control Bus
Carries control commands from the CPU in order to control
and coordinate all activities within the computer
1
24. Describe the General Purpose Computer System.
The General Purpose Computer System is a system that is able to perform a wide variety of tasks and
applications rather than one task. (Smart phone vs a regular calculator)
25. What constitutes an instruction stream?
The sequence of instructions read from memory.
26. What constitutes a data stream?
The operations performed on the data in the processor.
27. What does ‘stream’ refer to in computing?
Stream refers to the flow of instructions or data.
28. Define parallel processing.
Parallel processing is a class of techniques which enables the system to achieve simultaneous dataprocessing tasks to increase the computational speed of a computer system.
29. What can parallel processing do?
It can carry out simultaneous data-processing to achieve faster execution time.
30. What is the purpose of parallel processing?
The purpose of parallel processing is to enhance the computer processing capability and increase its
throughput.
31. How can parallel processing be achieved?
It can be achieved by having a multiplicity of functional units that perform identical or different
operation simultaneously.
32. Define Computer Register.
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.
33. Why does a computer need processor registers?
They need processor registers for manipulating data and a register for holding a memory address.
34. List the most common processor registers used in modern computers (include their symbol), their number
of bits and their function.
1
Register Name (Symbol) Number of Bits
Data register (DR)
16
Function
Hold memory operand
2
Address register (AR)
12
Holds address for the memory
3
Accumulator (AC)
16
Processor register
4
Instruction register (IR)
16
Holds instruction code
5
Program counter (PC)
12
Holds address of the instruction
6
Temporary register (TR)
16
Holds temporary data
7
Input register (INPR)
8
Carries input character
8
Output register (OUTR)
8
Carries output character
References
GeeksforGeeks. (n.d.). Computer organization: Von Neumann architecture. GeeksforGeeks. Retrieved October
24, 2024, from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/computer-organization-von-neumann-architecture/
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