Chapter 9: Behind the Scenes: Inside the System Unit

Chapter 9:
behind the scenes: A CLOSER LOOK AT system HARDWARE

Multiple Choice:

1.A(n) ______is a device inside the computer that can be flipped to an on or off state.

  1. conductor
  2. electrical switch
  3. instruction set
  4. component

Answer: BReference: Electrical Switches Difficulty: Easy

2.Before the invention of the transistor, electrical switches were:

  1. integrated circuits.
  2. binary switches.
  3. made of silicon.
  4. vacuum tubes.

Answer: DReference: Electrical Switches Difficulty: Easy

3.The language consisting of 0s and 1s that computers understand is called ______language.

  1. instruction
  2. electronic
  3. numerical
  4. binary

Answer: DReference: Electrical Switches Difficulty: Moderate

4.______are very small regions of semiconductor material that support a huge number of transistors.

  1. Integrated circuits
  2. Binary switches
  3. Vacuum tubes
  4. Electrical switches

Answer: AReference: Electrical Switches Difficulty: Easy

5.Chip is a common nickname for a(n):

  1. transistor.
  2. integrated circuit.
  3. resistor.
  4. semiconductor.

Answer: BReference: Electrical Switches Difficulty: Easy

6.The ______number system is also known as decimal notation.

  1. arithmetic
  2. binary
  3. base 10
  4. base 2

Answer: CReference: The Binary Number System Difficulty: Moderate

7.The ______number system is also known as the binary number system.

  1. decimal
  2. computer
  3. base 10
  4. base 2

Answer: DReference: The Binary Number System Difficulty: Moderate

8.Today’s chips are composed of tens of millions of:

  1. vacuum tubes.
  2. transistors.
  3. digital dividers.
  4. hertz.

Answer: BReference: Electrical Switches Difficulty: Easy

9.______are electrical switches that are built out of a special type of material called a semiconductor.

  1. Vacuum tubes
  2. Circuits
  3. Transistors
  4. Capacitors

Answer: CReference: Electrical Switches Difficulty: Moderate

10.______uses 8 bits to represent each letter or character.

  1. Binary
  2. ASCII
  3. EBCDIC
  4. Unicode

Answer: BReference: The Binary Number SystemDifficulty: Moderate

11.Eight binary digits combine to form one:

  1. notation.
  2. base 10 number.
  3. byte.
  4. command.

Answer: CReference: Representing Letters and Symbols: ASCII and UnicodeDifficulty: Easy

12.The decimal number 133 translates into the binary number:

  1. 11001111.
  2. 11100011.
  3. 10101010.
  4. 10000101.

Answer: DReference: Representing Numbers in the Binary Number SystemDifficulty: Challenging

13.Using 8 bits, the ______code can represent the 26 uppercase letters and the 26 lowercase letters in the English language and punctuation symbols as well as special characters.

  1. EBCDIC
  2. ASCII
  3. Unicode
  4. hexadecimal

Answer: BReference: Representing Letters and Symbols: ASCII and UnicodeDifficulty: Moderate

14.The base 16 numbering system is also known as:

  1. binary notation.
  2. decimal notation.
  3. hexadecimal notation.
  4. integer notation.

Answer: CReference: Dig Deeper: Advanced Binary and Hexadecimal Notation…Difficulty: Moderate

15.The CPU’s processing power is determined by the number of ______on each CPU.

  1. instructions
  2. transistors
  3. chips
  4. semiconductors

Answer: BReference: The CPU: Processing Digital InformationDifficulty: Moderate

16.The ______connects all of the system’s electric components: the CPU, memory, expansion slots, and electrical paths that connect these components.

  1. motherboard
  2. transistor board
  3. adapter board
  4. microprocessor board

Answer: AReference: The CPU: Processing Digital InformationDifficulty: Moderate

17.The CPU advancement that allows quicker processing of information by enabling a new set of instructions to start before the previous set had finished is known as:

  1. clock speed.
  2. execution speed.
  3. cache memory.
  4. hyperthreading.

Answer: DReference: The CPU: Processing Digital InformationDifficulty: Challenging

18.The most recent improvement in PC processors is ______, a technology whereby there are two processors on the same chip, enabling the execution of two sets of instructions at the same time.

  1. hyperthreading technology
  2. dual-core technology
  3. multitasking technology
  4. PowerPC technology

Answer: BReference: The CPU: Processing Digital InformationDifficulty: Moderate

19.The ______is measured in hertz (Hz), a unit of measure that describes how many times something happens per second.

  1. clock speed
  2. machine cycle
  3. register speed
  4. processing cycle

Answer: AReference: The System ClockDifficulty: Moderate

20.The “ticks” of the system clock are known as the:

  1. microprocessor speed.
  2. machine cycle.
  3. clock cycle.
  4. system speed.

Answer: CReference: The System ClockDifficulty: Easy

21.Today’s system clocks are measured in gigahertz (GHz), which would translate into ______of clock ticks per second.

  1. millions
  2. thousands
  3. billions
  4. tens of millions

Answer: CReference: The System ClockDifficulty: Easy

22.The ______of the CPU manages the on/off switches inside the CPU.

  1. microprocessor
  2. ALU
  3. transistors
  4. control unit

Answer: DReference: The Control UnitDifficulty: Moderate

23.A specific set of commands understandable by the CPU is called the:

  1. clock cycle.
  2. instruction set.
  3. program instructions.
  4. instruction code.

Answer: BReference: Stage 2: The Decode StageDifficulty: Moderate

24.The proper sequence of actions in a machine cycle is:

  1. decode  fetch  execute  store.
  2. fetch  decode  execute  store.
  3. fetch  execute  decode  store.
  4. execute  decode  store  fetch.

Answer: BReference: The CPU Machine CycleDifficulty: Challenging

25.Level 1 cache is a block of memory that is built onto the:

  1. motherboard.
  2. RAM chips.
  3. CPU chip.
  4. expansion boards.

Answer: CReference: Cache MemoryDifficulty: Moderate

26.Just as ACSII is the binary code for letters and characters, ______is the binary code for computer instructions.

  1. hexadecimal
  2. EBCDIC
  3. machine language
  4. program language

Answer: CReference: Stage 2: The Decode StageDifficulty: Challenging

27.Computer instructions are written by humans in:

  1. hexadecimal.
  2. assembly language.
  3. machine language.
  4. EBCDIC.

Answer: BReference: Stage 2: The Decode StageDifficulty: Challenging

28.The ______is the part of the CPU designed to perform mathematical calculations and compare values.

  1. instruction set
  2. cache
  3. ALU
  4. control unit

Answer: CReference: Stage 3: The Execute StageDifficulty: Moderate

29.The most frequently used instructions of a computer program are likely to be fetched from:

  1. the hard disk.
  2. cache memory.
  3. RAM.
  4. registers.

Answer: BReference: Cache MemoryDifficulty: Easy

30.______is the set of memory chips located on the motherboard that store data and instructions that cannot be changed or erased.

  1. ROM
  2. Level 1 cache
  3. Dynamic RAM
  4. Level 2 cache

Answer: AReference: Types of RAMDifficulty: Easy

31.The time it takes a device to locate data and instructions and make them available to the CPU is known as:

  1. clock speed.
  2. a processing cycle.
  3. CPU speed.
  4. access time.

Answer: DReference: RAM: The Next Level of Temporary StorageDifficulty: Challenging

32.The level of memory with the fastest access time is/are the:

  1. Level 1 cache.
  2. CPU registers.
  3. physical RAM.
  4. ROM.

Answer: BReference: RAM: The Next Level of Temporary StorageDifficulty: Challenging

33.Retrieving data from RAM is measured in:

  1. milliseconds.
  2. seconds.
  3. nanoseconds.
  4. clock cycles.

Answer: CReference: RAM: The Next Level of Temporary StorageDifficulty: Moderate

34.Getting data and instructions from the hard drive to the CPU is measured in:

  1. milliseconds.
  2. seconds.
  3. nanoseconds.
  4. clock cycles.

Answer: AReference: RAM: The Next Level of Temporary StorageDifficulty: Moderate

35.The ______is responsible for decoding instructions.

  1. ALU
  2. Level 1 cache
  3. Level 2 cache
  4. control unit

Answer: DReference: Stage 2: The Decode StageDifficulty: Moderate

36.The ______determines how many bits of data can be sent along a given bus at any one time.

  1. control unit
  2. bus speed
  3. bus width
  4. amount of memory

Answer: CReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

37.The ______are on the motherboard and run between the CPU and the main system memory.

  1. expansion buses
  2. local buses
  3. RAM buses
  4. ROM buses

Answer: BReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Easy

38.Bus clock speed is measured in:

  1. megahertz (MHz)
  2. gigahertz (GHz)
  3. milliseconds (ms)
  4. nanoseconds (ns)

Answer: AReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

39.The amount of data a CPU can process is based in part on the amount each ______can hold.

  1. register
  2. transistor
  3. bus
  4. instruction set

Answer: AReference: Stage 3: The Execute StageDifficulty: Challenging

40.The data transfer rate of a bus is calculated by multiplying the bus clock speed by the:

  1. processor speed.
  2. bus width.
  3. processor’s word size.
  4. processing time.

Answer: BReference: Busses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Challenging

41.Video cards and sound cards use the ______to communicate with the motherboard.

  1. expansion bus
  2. Level 1 cache
  3. local bus
  4. Level 2 cache

Answer: AReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

42.All of the following are types of expansion buses EXCEPT:

  1. AGP.
  2. ISA.
  3. PCI.
  4. ALU.

Answer: DReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Easy

43.Peripherals communicate with the CPU through the:

  1. local buses.
  2. control unit.
  3. CPU registers.
  4. expansion buses.

Answer: DReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Easy

44.A system’s local bus runs between the:

  1. motherboard and system ports.
  2. CPU and main RAM.
  3. hard disk and the main RAM.
  4. control unit and the CPU’s registers.

Answer: BReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

45.The type of expansion bus used in modern computer systems for providing connections to typical expansion cards such as network and sound adapters is a(n):

  1. PCI bus.
  2. ISA bus.
  3. EISA bus.
  4. AGP bus.

Answer: AReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

46.Which modern bus architecture is used especially for 3-D graphics?

  1. PCI
  2. ISA
  3. AGP
  4. EISA

Answer: CReference: Figure 9.13: Bus Design EvolutionDifficulty: Challenging

47.Pipelining refers to:

  1. splitting an instruction into pieces, with each sent to a separate processor.
  2. processing multiple instructions simultaneously, each at a different stage of the machine cycle.
  3. applying a common instruction to multiple data items at the same time.
  4. installing several CPUs into the computer, in order to enable processing instructions in parallel.

Answer: BReference: PipeliningDifficulty: Moderate

48.______refers to the principle of transferring computational work from overloaded computers, in a computing cluster, to those with more available computing resources.

  1. Clustering
  2. Dual-core processing
  3. Dual processing
  4. Load balancing

Answer: DReference: Bits and Bytes: Does Your Computer Need More…Difficulty: Moderate

49.Which of the following statements clearly explains the difference between a dual-processor design and dual-core processors?

  1. Dual-processor design is two CPU chips installed on the same system and dual-core processors have two separate parallel processing paths.
  2. Dual-core processors means there are two CPU chips installed on the same system and dual-processors have two separate parallel processing paths.
  3. Dual-processor design is computer clustering and dual-core processors have two separate processing paths.
  4. There is no difference. The terms are interchangeable.

Answer: AReference: Multiple Processing EffortsDifficulty: Challenging

50.A large network of computers each working on a portion of the same problem simultaneously is known as:

  1. hyperthreading.
  2. dual-processing.
  3. clustering.
  4. parallel processing.

Answer: DReference: Multiple Processing EffortsDifficulty: Challenging

Fill in the Blank:

51.______, which is found in common sand, is the semiconductor material used to make transistors.

Answer: Silicon Reference: Electrical SwitchesDifficulty: Moderate

52.Integrated circuits, also known as______, are very small regions of semiconductor material that support a huge number of transistors.

Answer: chips Reference: Electrical SwitchesDifficulty: Moderate

53.Integrated circuits have enabled computer designers to create small yet powerful ______, which are the chips that contain a CPU.

Answer: microprocessors Reference: Electrical SwitchesDifficulty: Moderate

54.A(n) ______is an organized plan for representing a number such as binary and hexidecimal.

Answer: number system Reference: The Binary Number SystemDifficulty: Easy

55.______, a base 16 numbering system, can be used on Web pages to represent color.

Answer: Hexadecimal notation Reference: Dig Deeper: Advanced Binary and…Difficulty: Challenging

56.Bit is shorthand for ______.

Answer: binary digit Reference: Representing Letters and Symbols:...Difficulty: Easy

57.Most of today’s personal computers use the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard code, called ______, to represent each letter or character as an 8-bit (1-byte) binary code.

Answer: ASCII Reference: Representing Letters and Symbols:...Difficulty: Moderate

58.The base 10 number system is also known as ______.

Answer: decimal notation Reference: The Binary Number SystemDifficulty: Easy

59.Computers describe a number as powers of 2, which is known as the ______number system.

Answer: binary Reference: The Binary Number SystemDifficulty: Easy

60.The ______, or microprocessor, is the “brains” of the computer.

Answer: central processing unit (CPU)Reference: The CPU: Processing Digital InformationDifficulty: Easy

61.The combination of the processor and the operating system is referred to as the computer’s ______.

Answer: platformReference: The CPU: Processing Digital InformationDifficulty: Easy

62.In the store phase of the CPU machine cycle, the results of mathematical and logical calculations are stored in ______.

Answer: registersReference: The CPU Machine CycleDifficulty: Moderate

63.The series of steps that the CPU follows to perform its tasks is known as the ______.

Answer: machine (or processing) cycleReference: The CPU Machine CycleDifficulty: Easy

64.______, which consists of small blocks of memory located directly on and next to the CPU chip, is a layer of storage that has faster access than RAM.

Answer: Cache memoryReference: Cache MemoryDifficulty: Moderate

65.Two processors on the same chip, enabling the execution of two sets of instructions at the same time, is known as ______.

Answer: dual-core technologyReference: The CPU: Processing Digital InformationDifficulty: Moderate

66.The ______are special memory storage areas built into the CPU that are the most expensive and fastest memory in the computer.

Answer: (CPU)registersReference: The CPU Machine CycleDifficulty: Moderate

67.______buses are located on the motherboard and run between the CPU and main system memory.

Answer: LocalReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

68.The ______determines how many bits of data can be sent along the bus at one time.

Answer: bus widthReference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

69.The ______bus was designed to handle three-dimensional graphics data better.

Answer: Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)Reference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Easy

70.______is a technique that allows the CPU to process a new set of instructions before the previous set has finished.

Answer: HyperthreadingReference: The CPU: Processing Digital InformationDifficulty: Moderate

71.A program’s mathematical and logical calculations are performed by the CPU’s ______.

Answer: Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) Reference: Stage 3: The Execute Stage Difficulty: Easy

72.The results calculated by the ______are placed into registers during the store stage of the machine cycle.

Answer: Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)Reference: Stage 4: The Store StageDifficulty: Moderate

73.Random access memory is located on the ______of the system unit.

Answer: motherboard Reference: RAM: The Next Level of Temporary…Difficulty: Easy

74.Bus clock speed is measured in ______.

Answer: megahertz (MHz) Reference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

75.Peripheral devices are connected to the motherboard and CPU through ______.

Answer: expansion buses Reference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Easy

True and False:

76.Supercomputers measure processing speed in terms of trillions of operations per second.

Answer: True Reference: Bits and Bytes: Today’s Supercomputers:…Difficulty: Easy

77.A dual-processor design has two separate CPUs installed in the same system.

Answer: True Reference: Multiple Processing EffortsDifficulty: Easy

78.More cache memory improves the performance of the CPU.

Answer: True Reference: Cache MemoryDifficulty: Moderate

79.The most expensive and fastest memory in the computer is ROM.

Answer: False (registers) Reference: The CPU Machine CycleDifficulty: Moderate

80.When a program begins to run, the program’s binary code must be “fetched” from RAM.

Answer: True Reference: The CPU Machine CycleDifficulty: Moderate

81.The pace of the system clock, measured in Hz, is known as clock “ticks.”

Answer: False (clock speed) Reference: The System ClockDifficulty: Easy

82.The access time of RAM is measured in nanoseconds (ns).

Answer: True Reference: Types of RAMDifficulty: Easy

83.Random Access Memory (RAM) is nonvolatile storage.

Answer: False (volatile)Reference: Types of RAMDifficulty: Easy

84.The rate at which data moves on a bus is the bus clock speed.

Answer: True Reference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

85.Local buses expand the capability of the computer by allowing the addition of expansion cards.

Answer: False (Expansion) Reference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Moderate

86.Moore’s Law predicted that the number of transistors on a processor would double every 18 months.

Answer: True Reference: Making Computers Even Faster: Advanced...Difficulty: Moderate

87.Dual processor systems are often used for computer simulations.

Answer: True Reference: Multiple processing EffortsDifficulty: Moderate

88.Bus width is measured in terms of hertz (Hz).

Answer: False (bits) Reference: Buses: The CPU’s Data HighwayDifficulty: Challenging

89.The time it takes a device to locate data and instructions and make them available to the CPU for processing is known as clock speed.

Answer: False (access time) Reference: RAM: The Next Level of Temporary StorageDifficulty: Moderate

90.The control unit manages the switches inside the CPU.

Answer: True Reference: The Control UnitDifficulty: Easy

Matching:

91.Match the following acronyms to their descriptions:

I.EBCDICA. chip manufacturer

II.AMDB. mainframe character code representation

III.EISAC. faster RAM used in cache memory

IV.SRAMD. 8-bit character code representation

V.ASCIIE. expansion bus architecture

Answer: B, A, E, C, DReference: Multiple locations in chapterDifficulty: Moderate

92.Match the following acronyms to their descriptions:

I.AGPA. organization that developed standard for floating point representation

II.ROMB. organization that developed standard for ASCII character representation

III.DRAMC. memory that cannot be changed or erased

IV.IEEED. relatively fast memory technology that includes rechargeable capacitors

V.ANSIE. bus architecture dealing with video graphics

Answer: E, C, D, A, BReference: Multiple locations in chapterDifficulty: Moderate

93.Match the following terms to their definitions:

I.cacheA. 16-bit character encoding scheme