Computer architecture

Question 1

What are the 3 main components of a CPU???

Answer 1

CU[control unit]
ALU[Arithmetic and logic unit]
registers

Question 2

What is the role of ALU???

Answer 2

The role of the ALU is for computing arithmetic and logic gate based logic

Question 3

What is the role of the control unit???

Answer 3

The CU directs the operation of the CPU, interpreting instructions from programs and coordinating the activities of other components.

It manages the flow of data and controls signals to and from other parts of the CPU

Question 4

What is the role of the registers???

Answer 4

temporally holds data while a CPU is computing instructions - same as RAM but doesn’t hold the data for as long

Question 5

What is the role of RAM???

Answer 5

RAM is a type of volatile memory used to store data and programs temporarily while the computer is running

Question 6

What are three types of ram???

Answer 6

Vram
Dynamic Ram
Static Ram

Question 7

What is the role of a data bus???

Answer 7

The data bus carries data between the CPU, memory, and other components. It determines how much data can be transferred at once.

Question 8

What is the role of a memory bus???

Answer 8

The address bus carries memory addresses from the CPU to other components. It determines how much memory can be addressed.

Question 9

What is the role of a control bus???

Answer 9

The control bus carries control signals from the CPU, indicating what operations to perform (read, write, etc.).

Question 10

How does an interpreter work???

Answer 10

An interpreter directly executes code line by line. It doesn’t convert the entire program into machine code

Question 11

What programming languages that commonly use interpreters???

Answer 11

interpreters are often used in dynamic languages like Python and JavaScript.

Question 12

What are some pros and cons of interpreters???

Answer 12

Pros: Easier debugging, immediate execution, flexible code modifications.
Cons: Slower execution compared to compilers, as each line is interpreted individually.

Question 13

How does an complier work???

Answer 13

A compiler translates the entire source code into machine code, creating an executable program

Question 14

What programming languages that commonly use complier???

Answer 14

Compilers are commonly used in languages like C, C++, and Java.

Question 15

What are some pros and cons of compliers???

Answer 15

Pros: Faster execution, optimized code, doesn’t require source code for execution.
Cons: Longer compilation time, harder to debug, requires recompilation for code changes

Question 16

What are binary numbers???

Answer 16

Computers use binary (base 2) to represent data. A binary number consists of only 0s and 1s.

Question 17

What are positive integers[denary]???

Answer 17

Positive integers are whole numbers greater than zero. They can be represented in binary.

Question 18

How to convert from decimal to binary???

Answer 18

use either the division method or subtraction method:
To convert in division method, decimal number to binary, repeatedly divide by 2 and track the remainders. Reverse the order of remainders to get the binary representation.

or for the subtraction method if the positive integer is > than the number of bytes a 1 has it = 0 else

Question 19

How are real numbers represented within a computer???

Answer 19

Real numbers can have fractional components. They are often represented using floating-point notation.

Question 20

describe floating point notation

Answer 20

This uses scientific notation with a base (binary) and an exponent. It’s commonly used to represent real numbers in computers

Question 21

How does a computer represent text???

Answer 21

Text is represented using character encoding schemes like ASCII and Unicode.

Question 22

What are some examples of text encoding schemes and how do they work???

Answer 22

ASCII: Represents characters using 7 or 8 bits, allowing for 128 or 256 different characters.
Unicode: A more extensive encoding scheme allowing for thousands of characters, including those from different languages.

Question 23

How do vector graphics get used to represent images???

Answer 23

Vector graphics use mathematical equations to represent images. They are resolution-independent and often used for logos and scalable graphics

Question 24

What are some advantages/disadvantages of vector graphics???

Answer 24

Advantages: Can be scaled without losing quality, smaller file sizes for complex graphics.
Disadvantages: Not suitable for detailed or complex images like photographs.

Question 25

How do bitmap graphics get used to represent images???

Answer 25

Bitmap graphics represent images as a grid of pixels. Each pixel has a specific color.

Question 26

What are the advantages/disadvantages of bitmap graphics???

Answer 26

Advantages: Suitable for complex images and photographs, wide support across platforms. Disadvantages: Large file sizes for high-resolution images, loss of quality when scaled.

Question 27

How do computers affect the environment???

Answer 27

Computers and data centers consume significant energy. This contributes to carbon emissions and environmental impact.

Question 28

What are two ways of making computers energy efficient???

Answer 28

Manufacturers focus on creating energy-efficient components like low-power CPUs, GPUs, and storage devices Techniques like sleep mode and hibernation reduce energy consumption when computers are idle

Question 29

How can we reduce energy usage within a computer???

Answer 29

Efficient coding practices can reduce CPU usage and energy consumption. Choosing energy-efficient hardware and peripherals helps reduce energy consumption. Proper disposal and recycling of electronic waste reduce environmental impact.

Question 30

What are some security precautions in computers???

Answer 30

Use complex passwords and change them regularly. Keep operating systems and applications updated to prevent vulnerabilities. Implement multi-factor authentication for added security.

Question 31

What's a firewall???

Answer 31

A firewall is a security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined rules

Question 32

What's the role of a firewall???

Answer 32

Firewalls protect networks from unauthorized access and potential threats.

Question 33

What are the two types of firewalls???

Answer 33

Firewalls can be hardware-based or software-based

Question 34

What's encryption???

Answer 34

Encryption is the process of encoding data to prevent unauthorized acces

Question 35

What's the role of encryption???

Answer 35

Encryption ensures that even if data is intercepted, it cannot be read without the decryption key.

Question 36

What are some common encryption methods???

Answer 36

Symmetric encryption uses the same key for encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a public-private key pair.