This comprehensive collection contains 55 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) covering fundamental concepts in computer organization and architecture. These questions address key topics including CPU components, memory systems, instruction execution cycles, addressing modes, and processor architectures.
Which of the following is not a computer component?
a) CPU
b) Hard Disk
c) Monitor
d) Data Bus
Answer: d) Data Bus
What is the main purpose of an ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)?
a) Perform basic arithmetic and logic operations
b) Control the memory
c) Handle input/output operations
d) Fetch instructions from memory
Answer: a) Perform basic arithmetic and logic operations
What is the primary function of the control unit (CU)?
a) Perform arithmetic and logic operations
b) Manage data flow in the system
c) Control the execution of instructions
d) Manage memory storage
Answer: c) Control the execution of instructions
Which register holds the address of the next instruction to be executed?
a) Program Counter (PC)
b) Instruction Register (IR)
c) Accumulator (AC)
d) Memory Address Register (MAR)
Answer: a) Program Counter (PC)
In a microprocessor, the program counter (PC) contains the address of the:
a) Data to be processed
b) Memory location for storing results
c) Next instruction to be executed
d) Previous instruction executed
Answer: c) Next instruction to be executed
In a CPU, the instruction register (IR) holds the:
a) Address of the next instruction
b) Currently executing instruction
c) Data to be processed
d) Address of the data
Answer: b) Currently executing instruction
Which register in a CPU holds the result of an arithmetic or logical operation?
a) Memory Address Register (MAR)
b) Accumulator (AC)
c) Program Counter (PC)
d) Instruction Register (IR)
Answer: b) Accumulator (AC)
Which of the following registers stores the current instruction being executed?
a) Memory Address Register (MAR)
b) Program Counter (PC)
c) Instruction Register (IR)
d) Accumulator
Answer: c) Instruction Register (IR)
The number of bits used to represent a character in a computer system is called:
a) Word size
b) Byte
c) Character code
d) Word length
Answer: c) Character code
What is the smallest data unit that can be stored in a computer?
a) Byte
b) Bit
c) Nibble
d) Word
Answer: b) Bit
Which of the following represents the binary equivalent of the decimal number 15?
a) 101
b) 1111
c) 111
d) 1001
Answer: b) 1111
Which of the following is used to represent floating-point numbers in computers?
a) ASCII
b) IEEE 754
c) Unicode
d) EBCDIC
Answer: b) IEEE 754
In an 8-bit processor, the maximum decimal value that can be stored in a register is:
a) 128
b) 255
c) 512
d) 1024
Answer: b) 255
What is the maximum number of different values that can be represented by an 8-bit binary number?
a) 128
b) 256
c) 512
d) 1024
Answer: b) 256
Which of the following types of data representation is used to handle both positive and negative numbers?
a) Unsigned binary
b) Two's complement
c) BCD (Binary-Coded Decimal)
d) Parity bit
Answer: b) BCD (Binary-Coded Decimal)
What type of binary representation is used to represent both positive and negative numbers?
a) Sign-magnitude
b) One's complement
c) Two's complement
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
What does the term 'fetch' refer to in the context of the fetch-decode-execute cycle?
a) The CPU retrieves the next instruction from memory
b) The CPU decodes the instruction
c) The CPU executes the instruction
d) The CPU stores the result
Answer: a) The CPU retrieves the next instruction from memory
Which is the correct sequence of operations in the fetch-decode-execute cycle?
a) Decode → Fetch → Execute
b) Fetch → Execute → Decode
c) Fetch → Decode → Execute
d) Execute → Fetch → Decode
Answer: c) Fetch → Decode → Execute
In a pipelined CPU, which stage executes the instruction?
a) Fetch
b) Decode
c) Execute
d) Writeback
Answer: c) Execute
In which of the following stages of the CPU cycle does the ALU perform the actual computation?
a) Fetch
b) Decode
c) Execute
d) Write-back
Answer: c) Execute
In a Von Neumann architecture, where are the data and instructions stored?
a) CPU
b) Cache
c) Main memory
d) Registers
Answer: c) Main memory
Which of the following is a characteristic of RISC architecture?
a) Complex instruction set
b) Multiple cycles per instruction
c) Simple instructions that execute in a single cycle
d) Small number of registers
Answer: c) Simple instructions that execute in a single cycle
Which of the following components is responsible for storing data temporarily during processing?
a) Hard drive
b) RAM (Random Access Memory)
c) CPU
d) ROM (Read-Only Memory)
Answer: b) RAM (Random Access Memory)
What is the primary purpose of a cache memory?
a) Store large amounts of data
b) Store frequently accessed data to speed up processing
c) Store programs
d) Store permanent data
Answer: b) Store frequently accessed data to speed up processing
Which of the following is a type of secondary memory?
a) RAM
b) Cache
c) Hard disk
d) Register
Answer: c) Hard disk
The two main types of memory used in computers are:
a) RAM and ROM
b) Cache and RAM
c) ROM and Flash
d) Disk and RAM
Answer: a) RAM and ROM
What is the primary function of the stack in computer architecture?
a) Temporary storage of data
b) Store the operating system
c) Store results of arithmetic operations
d) Store data to be processed
Answer: a) Temporary storage of data
Which of the following is a property of a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)?
a) Non-volatile storage
b) Volatile storage
c) Extremely fast access time
d) Used for temporary storage
Answer: a) Non-volatile storage
What type of memory is ROM (Read-Only Memory)?
a) Volatile and temporary
b) Non-volatile and permanent
c) Volatile and permanent
d) Non-volatile and temporary
Answer: b) Non-volatile and permanent
Which type of memory is typically used to store the BIOS of a computer?
a) RAM
b) ROM
c) Cache memory
d) Hard drive
Answer: b) ROM
Which type of memory has the fastest access time?
a) Hard Disk
b) Cache Memory
c) RAM
d) ROM
Answer: b) Cache Memory
Which of the following is an example of a volatile memory?
a) ROM
b) Flash memory
c) RAM
d) Hard disk
Answer: c) RAM
Which of the following is a feature of cache memory?
a) It is slower than RAM
b) It stores large amounts of data
c) It is faster than main memory
d) It is non-volatile
Answer: c) It is faster than main memory
In a 32-bit system, what is the maximum size of the addressable memory?
a) 256 MB
b) 4 GB
c) 8 GB
d) 16 GB
Answer: b) 4 GB
Which of the following is a method used to increase the performance of memory in a computer system?
a) Pipelining
b) Memory interleaving
c) Both a and b
d) None of the above
Answer: c) Both a and b
Which of the following represents the lowest level of data storage in a computer?
a) Registers
b) Cache memory
c) RAM
d) Hard disk
Answer: a) Registers
Which of the following is true about static RAM (SRAM)?
a) It is slower than dynamic RAM (DRAM)
b) It requires constant refreshing to maintain data
c) It is used primarily for cache memory
d) It is cheaper than DRAM
Answer: c) It is used primarily for cache memory
Which of the following is true for a system with a large cache size?
a) It will always run faster
b) It reduces the need for fetching data from main memory
c) It increases memory access time
d) It is slower than a system with a small cache
Answer: b) It reduces the need for fetching data from main memory
What is the primary difference between SRAM and DRAM?
a) SRAM is slower than DRAM
b) SRAM requires constant power to maintain data, while DRAM does not
c) SRAM is faster and more reliable than DRAM
d) Main memory is stored in SRAM, while cache memory is in DRAM
Answer: c) SRAM is faster and more reliable than DRAM
Which bus is responsible for transferring addresses between components in a computer system?
a) Data bus
b) Address bus
c) Control bus
d) Power bus
Answer: b) Address bus
Which of the following is a type of bus used in a computer system?
a) Power bus
b) Control bus
c) Data bus
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
The term 'bus' in computer architecture refers to:
a) A system for managing the power supply
b) A pathway for transferring data between different parts of a computer
c) A memory management system
d) A software layer for managing I/O devices
Answer: b) A pathway for transferring data between different parts of a computer
Which of the following is the correct order of the CPU components that process data?
a) CU → ALU → Register
b) ALU → CU → Register
c) Register → CU → ALU
d) Register → ALU → CU
Answer: d) Register → ALU → CU
What is the purpose of a control unit in the CPU?
a) To store data
b) To perform arithmetic operations
c) To manage data flow between different parts of the computer
d) To execute instructions
Answer: c) To manage data flow between different parts of the computer
What is the purpose of the clock in a CPU?
a) To store data
b) To generate timing signals for the CPU's operations
c) To handle input and output operations
d) To manage memory access
Answer: b) To generate timing signals for the CPU's operations
What does the instruction "MOV A, B" mean in assembly language?
a) Add A and B
b) Move the contents of register A to register B
c) Move the contents of register B to register A
d) Subtract B from A
Answer: c) Move the contents of register B to register A
Which of the following is not a type of address used in instruction sets?
a) Immediate address
b) Register address
c) Relative address
d) Multiplexed address
Answer: d) Multiplexed address
In an instruction format, the part that specifies the operation to be performed is called the:
a) Operand
b) Opcode
c) Address field
d) Instruction register
Answer: b) Opcode
Which of the following is a method of addressing used in assembly language?
a) Direct addressing
b) Indirect addressing
c) Indexed addressing
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
What is the main advantage of a multi-core processor?
a) Higher clock speed
b) Reduced power consumption
c) Ability to execute multiple instructions simultaneously
d) Increased cache memory
Answer: c) Ability to execute multiple instructions simultaneously
The process of converting a high-level language program into machine code is known as:
a) Compiling
b) Assembling
c) Debugging
d) Interpreting
Answer: a) Compiling
Which of the following is true about a 64-bit processor?
a) It can handle more data per clock cycle than a 32-bit processor
b) It has a smaller addressable memory space than a 32-bit processor
c) It can only handle 32-bit data
d) It consumes more power than a 32-bit processor
Answer: a) It can handle more data per clock cycle than a 32-bit processor
Which of the following addresses refers to memory locations in the real address space of a computer?
a) Logical address
b) Virtual address
c) Physical address
d) Segmented address
Answer: c) Physical address
Which type of address is used by the CPU to access memory directly?
a) Logical address
b) Virtual address
c) Physical address
d) Register address
Answer: c) Physical address
What is the purpose of "direct memory access" (DMA) in a computer system?
a) To transfer data between I/O devices and memory without CPU intervention
b) To control access to shared memory
c) To manage memory fragmentation
d) To execute instructions directly from memory
Answer: a) To transfer data between I/O devices and memory without CPU intervention
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