H446.1.1.Exam Questions

(i). Identify an instruction in the Little Man Computer program shown in Fig.2 that would cause the PC to change in a different way. (1)

Answer explanation

• BRA (1) / BRP (1).

Tags

registers

(ii). State which register the contents of the PC would be copied to in order for the processor to access the next instruction. (1)

Answer explanation

• Memory Address Register (MAR) (1).

Tags

registers

Describe a sensor that the device might include to help monitor calories burnt. (2)

Answer explanation

Tags

input, output and storage

Explain why flash storage would be more appropriate than a magnetic hard drive for this device. (3)

Answer explanation

Tags

input, output and storage

Explain why a GPU is more suitable than a CPU for this task. (3)

Answer explanation

Tags

Types of processor

Explain two reasons why games designed for other companies’ consoles may not work on this machine. (4)

Answer explanation

Tags

System architecture

Types of processor

Explain the buses and registers used when the line SUB one is executed. (5)

Answer explanation

Tags

Assembly language

System architecture

registers

buses

Explain, giving an example, how pipelining in a CPU could speed up the execution of this program.(3)

Answer explanation

Tags

Assembly language

pipelining

Describe one issue the line BRP start may cause for a CPU using pipelining. (2)

Answer explanation

BRP could be followed by one of two possible instructions, which one will only be determined at execution
–    Meaning the wrong one may be fetched / decoded

Tags

Assembly language

pipelining

Pipelining is one factor that affects the performance of a CPU. Identify one other factor. (1)

Answer explanation

Clock speed
–    Cache Size
–    Number of cores (1 per max 1)

Tags

performance of CPU