computer systems

Question 1

hardware

Answer 1

Physical component of a computer system

Question 2

software

Answer 2

Instructions that tell a computer what to do

Question 3

System software

Answer 3

Allows the user to operate a computer

example:

OS
utilities
libraries
translators (compiler, assembler, interpreter)

Question 4

Application software

Answer 4

Used to carry out user oriented tasks

e.g. Web browsers

Question 5

role of operating system/OS

Answer 5

to hide the complexities of the hardware from the user

Question 6

What does the OS handle

Answer 6

Resource management
Managing hardware to allocate processors
Memories
I/O devices

Question 7

examples of low level language code

Answer 7

machine-code
assembly language.

Question 8

what does high-level language include

Answer 8

imperative high level-language:

A program translating high level language by reading each statement in the source code and immediately performing the action

Question 9

relationship between low level and high level language

Answer 9

high level languages require the use of a compiler of an interpreter for their translation into the machine code.

low level language requires an assembler for directly translating the instructions of the machine language.

Question 10

machine-code language

Answer 10

Written in binary and can be executed without needing to be translated

Question 11

assembly language

Answer 11

Written using mnemonics and needs to be translated in order to be executed

Question 12

pros and cons for assembly language

Answer 12

Easier to correct errors and amend instructions
More compact

It’s machine dependant and you must directly control the exact instruction sequences the processor executes

Question 13

assembler

Answer 13

Program that translates from code written in assembly language code into machine code

Question 14

Compiler

Answer 14

A program that translates high level language into machine code by translating all of the code

Question 15

Interpreter

Answer 15

A program translating high level language by reading each statement in the source code and immediately performing the action

Question 16

Difference between interpreter and compilation

Answer 16

compiler - produces machine code and translates the whole source code into machine code

Interpreter - does not produce any object code and translates the source code one at a time into machine code

Question 17

difference between source and object (executable) code.

Answer 17

Source code - written in high level language code and east to modify and read

Object code - written in machine language and difficult to read and modify

Question 18

boolean identities for OR

Answer 18

0 + A = A
1 + A = 1
A + A = A
A + (NOT)A = 1

Question 19

demorgans theorem

Answer 19

A + ((NOT)A)B= A + B
(NOT)A + B = (NOT)A.(NOT)B
(NOT)A.B = (NOT)A + (NOT)B

Question 20

boolean identites for AND

Answer 20

0 . A = 0
1 . A = A
A . A = A
A . (NOT)A = 0

Question 21

explain why some compilers produce bytecode as the final output instead of executable code

Answer 21

the code may need to run on multiple platforms