Solution Mid Test 1

SEKOLAH KEJURUTERAAN DAN TEKNOLOGI MAKLUMAT

KT14203 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION
MIDTERM (35 marks) 1 hour 30 minutes
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Question 1 (15 marks)

a) Define and explain four basic functions of a computer. (4 marks)

- Data processing
- Data storage
- Data movement
- Control
b) Consider a hypothetical machine with instruction set formats as given in Figure 1. What is the
size of:
i. Program Counter (PC)?
16 bits [1].
ii. Instruction Register (IR)?
24 bits [1].
iii. Addressable memory units?
216 = 65536 Bytes [2].
(4 marks)

Figure 1

c) There are four different classes of interrupts, explain two of them. (4 marks)
Any two of the following, 2 marks each:

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d) Two types of semiconductor memory are Static and Dynamic Random Access Memory
(SRAM and DRAM).
i. Give one common feature of SRAM and DRAM. (1 mark)
Power must be continuously supplied to the memory to preserve the bit values.
ii. Provide one advantage each of SRAM and DRAM.
(2 marks)
SRAM Faster
DRAM
- Simpler to build, smaller
- More dense (smaller cells = more cells per unit area).
- Less expensive.

Question 2 (20 marks)

A 2-way set associative cache has 4096 lines and a total size of 32 Kbytes. The main memory size
is 2 Mbytes.
a. How many bits are needed for addressing a space in the memory? (2 marks)
Memory = 2 MB

= 2 x 220 B [1]

= 21 x 220 B

= 221

address = 21 bit [1]

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b. Find the Tag, Set and Word value. (6 marks)

cache lines = 4096 lines Word = 32 Kb / 4096 lines [1]

= 212 [1] = (25 x 210)/ 212

sets = 212/21 = 23

sets = 211 [1] word = 3 bits [1]

Tag Set Word Tag = 21 11 3 [1]

= 7 bit. [1 M]
7 11 3

c. For hexadecimal main memory address 1EF34A, show the Tag, Set and Word values by
using the address format in (a) and (b). (5 marks)
1 E F 3 4 A
1 1110 1111 0011 0100 1010 [1]
Tag Set Word
111 1011 11001101001 010 [1]
110 0110 1001
7B 669 2
[1 M] [1 M] [1 M]

d. Give two other addresses that will be mapped into the same set as (c). (2 marks)
Any address where set = 669, 0 <= tag <= 7F and 0 <= word <= 7

e. Other cache mapping is known as direct mapping.

i) Describe direct mapping and its advantage. (2 marks)
Maps each block of main memory into only one possible cache line.
Advantage = simple.

ii) What is the difference between direct mapping and set associative cache? (1 mark)
Set associative permits each main memory block to be loaded into any line in a set of
the cache.

iii) Explain one advantage of using a set associative cache than using a direct mapped
cache. (2 marks)
A memory block can be stored in more than one line in a cache, thus reduce the
disadvantage of direct mapping where block replacement will be reduced.