Computer Architecture (BCAC201) -

Important Questions by Topic

Unit 1: Data Representation
1. 1. Explain the difference between binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal number
systems with examples.
2. 2. How do you convert a decimal number to its binary and hexadecimal equivalents?
3. 3. Define 1’s complement and 2’s complement with appropriate binary examples.
4. 4. Differentiate between 9’s and 10’s complements using decimal examples.
5. 5. What are r’s and (r–1)’s complements? Demonstrate with a base-8 example.
6. 6. Explain fixed-point representation for both signed and unsigned integers.
7. 7. What are the common causes and implications of arithmetic overflow in fixed-point
operations?
8. 8. Differentiate between fixed-point and floating-point representation with examples.
9. 9. Describe the IEEE 754 standard for single-precision floating-point representation.
10. 10. Convert a binary number to its octal and hexadecimal forms with step-by-step
explanation.

Unit 2: Computer Arithmetic

11. 1. Explain addition and subtraction of sign-magnitude binary numbers.
12. 2. What is the procedure for performing addition using 2’s complement?
13. 3. How does subtraction work using 2’s complement representation? Give an example.
14. 4. Compare sign-magnitude and 2’s complement representations with examples.
15. 5. Describe Booth’s multiplication algorithm with a binary example.
16. 6. What is the non-restoring division algorithm? Illustrate with an example.
17. 7. Explain the binary multiplication of two unsigned numbers step-by-step.
18. 8. What is arithmetic overflow? How can it be detected in binary arithmetic?
19. 9. Design a 4-bit binary adder circuit and explain its operation.
20. 10. Demonstrate subtraction of binary numbers using 2’s complement method.

Unit 3: Register Transfer and Micro-operations

21. 1. What is Register Transfer Language (RTL)? Explain with an example.
22. 2. Describe the operation and structure of a common bus system for register transfer.
23. 3. Differentiate between memory read and memory write operations.
24. 4. List and explain four types of arithmetic micro-operations.
25. 5. Explain the types and functions of shift micro-operations with diagrams.
26. 6. Define logic micro-operations and provide a circuit-level explanation.
27. 7. What is a binary incrementer? Describe its design and use.
28. 8. How does a binary adder-subtractor circuit function?
29. 9. What is a masking operation in logic circuits? Illustrate with an example.
30. 10. Differentiate between selective set and selective clear operations.

Unit 4: Basic Computer Organization and Design

31. 1. Define instruction codes. Why are they essential in a computer system?
32. 2. List and explain the purpose of various basic computer registers.
33. 3. Differentiate between direct, indirect, and effective addressing modes.
34. 4. What is a memory reference instruction? Provide an example.
35. 5. Explain register reference and I/O instructions with suitable examples.
36. 6. Draw the block diagram of a basic computer and explain each component.
37. 7. What is the control unit? Describe its functions in instruction execution.
38. 8. Illustrate and explain the steps involved in the instruction cycle.
39. 9. What is an accumulator? What role does it play in CPU operations?
40. 10. Describe the instruction decoding process with an example.

Unit 5: Microprogrammed Control

41. 1. What is control memory and how is it used in microprogrammed control?
42. 2. Define and differentiate between microinstruction and microprogram.
43. 3. Explain address sequencing in microprogrammed control units.
44. 4. What are micro-operations in the context of a control unit?
45. 5. List advantages of microprogrammed control over hardwired control.
46. 6. Compare and contrast hardwired and microprogrammed control units.
47. 7. Draw and explain the microprogram control organization diagram.
48. 8. Describe the function of the Control Address Register (CAR).
49. 9. How are microprograms stored and accessed in control memory?
50. 10. Give an example demonstrating execution of a microinstruction.

Unit 6: Central Processing Unit (CPU)

51. 1. Explain the general register organization of a CPU with a diagram.
52. 2. What is stack organization? Explain push and pop operations with examples.
53. 3. Compare register stack and memory stack in terms of implementation and speed.
54. 4. Evaluate the postfix expression '5 3 + 8 2 - *' using a stack.
55. 5. What is an instruction format? Describe its different fields.
56. 6. Compare and contrast three-address, two-address, one-address, and zero-address
instruction formats.
57. 7. Define data transfer instructions and give suitable examples.
58. 8. What are program control instructions? Explain with a use case.
59. 9. Classify and explain different types of interrupts with examples.
60. 10. Differentiate between RISC and CISC architectures with their advantages and
disadvantages.
Unit 7: Pipeline and Vector Processing
61. 1. Explain Flynn’s classification of computer systems with suitable examples.
62. 2. What is instruction pipelining? Describe its advantages and limitations.
63. 3. Draw and explain a space-time diagram for pipelined instruction execution.
64. 4. What is speedup in pipelining? Derive the formula and discuss ideal vs. practical
scenarios.
65. 5. List and explain different types of hazards in pipelining and how to resolve them.
66. 6. Distinguish between scalar and vector processing with applications.
67. 7. What is an arithmetic pipeline? Explain with an example.
68. 8. Illustrate floating-point addition using pipelining stages.
69. 9. List the stages of a general instruction pipeline and describe each.
70. 10. How is instruction-level parallelism achieved in modern processors?

Unit 8: Input – Output Organization

71. 1. What are peripheral devices? Classify them with two examples.
72. 2. Compare isolated I/O and memory-mapped I/O approaches.
73. 3. Explain the role and functioning of an I/O interface.
74. 4. Describe asynchronous data transfer and the handshaking mechanism.
75. 5. What is the strobe control method in asynchronous data transfer?
76. 6. Define programmed I/O. Explain its working with an example.
77. 7. How does interrupt-initiated I/O improve system performance?
78. 8. Explain the concept of DMA and describe the role of the DMA controller.
79. 9. Differentiate between synchronous and asynchronous data transmission.
80. 10. What is an I/O processor? Describe its role in a computer system.

Unit 9: Memory Organization

81. 1. Explain the memory hierarchy in a computer system with examples.
82. 2. Differentiate between SRAM and DRAM in terms of speed, structure, and usage.
83. 3. What are the types of RAM and ROM? Briefly describe their characteristics.
84. 4. What is cache memory? Explain its purpose and how it improves system
performance.
85. 5. Describe direct mapping, associative mapping, and set-associative mapping in cache
memory.
86. 6. What is CAM (Content Addressable Memory)? How is it different from regular
memory?
87. 7. Explain the concept of virtual memory. How does paging and segmentation work?
88. 8. What is a page fault? How does the system handle it?
89. 9. Define TLB (Translation Lookaside Buffer) and its role in address translation.
90. 10. What are seek time, rotational delay, access time, transfer time, and latency in
magnetic disks? Explain each with examples.