4.7.3.3 Fo CompOrgArch ( The processor instruction set)

Question 1

What is an instruction set

Answer 1

• Complete sets of instructions that a given processor can understand

Question 2

What is meant by a low level language

Answer 2

A LLL is a language that provides little or no abstraction from a computer’s instruction set architecture

Question 3

What are the Features of an instructions set

Answer 3

• Written in Binary
• Made up of opcode and one or more operands for each instruction
• Either RISC or CISC

Question 4

What are the 4 types of instructions

Answer 4

• Data transfer between registers or memory
• Arithmetic operations
• Logical operations
• Branch operations that allows the program to loop or change flow

Question 5

What are the advantages of RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing)

Answer 5

• Simpler hardware, making it cheaper
• Instructions are completed in one cycle allowing for pipelining
• Needs less energy to run
• Quicker for simpler tasks

Question 6

What is meant by pipelining

Answer 6

In RISC, if some lines of code don’t rely on each other, they can be run at the same time by different processors. Since they all take the same amount of time, this makes the program run faster overall, because the total execution time is greatly decreased.

Question 7

What are the advantages of CISC

Answer 7

• More efficient for intensive tasks
• Simpler to code using CISC
• Quicker to debug code

Question 8

What is an instruction made up of

Answer 8

• opcode and one or more operands

Question 9

What is meant by the opcode in the instruction

Answer 9

The type of operation that the instruction should carry out and how it should go about doing so

Question 10

What two things does the opcode contain

Answer 10

• The operation
• The addressing mode

Question 11

What is meant by the operands in the instruction

Answer 11

The pieces of data on which the operation is carried out on