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    Fundamentals of Computer Architecture - Jan 2003 (PAST PAPER)

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    BIG M
    This document provides instructions for a 1.5 hour exam on fundamentals of computer architecture. It contains 3 questions, the first being compulsory, with the other two optional. Question 1 examines basic concepts like binary, hexadecimal, octal conversions and ARM instructions. Question 2 focuses on conditionally executed ARM instructions and writing a subroutine to print a number in hexadecimal. Question 3 is about coprocessors, floating point calculations, and the IEEE 754 floating point number standard. Calculators are not permitted and diagrams may be helpful.

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    Fundamentals of Computer Architecture - Jan 2003 (PAST PAPER)

    Uploaded by

    BIG M
    16 views3 pages
    This document provides instructions for a 1.5 hour exam on fundamentals of computer architecture. It contains 3 questions, the first being compulsory, with the other two optional. Question 1 examines basic concepts like binary, hexadecimal, octal conversions and ARM instructions. Question 2 focuses on conditionally executed ARM instructions and writing a subroutine to print a number in hexadecimal. Question 3 is about coprocessors, floating point calculations, and the IEEE 754 floating point number standard. Calculators are not permitted and diagrams may be helpful.

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    BSc CompSci - Uni of Manchester

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    This document provides instructions for a 1.5 hour exam on fundamentals of computer architecture. It contains 3 questions, the first being compulsory, with the other two optional. Question 1 examines basic concepts like binary, hexadecimal, octal conversions and ARM instructions. Question 2 focuses on conditionally executed ARM instructions and writing a subroutine to print a number in hexadecimal. Question 3 is about coprocessors, floating point calculations, and the IEEE 754 floating point number standard. Calculators are not permitted and diagrams may be helpful.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    16 views3 pages

    Fundamentals of Computer Architecture - Jan 2003 (PAST PAPER)

    Uploaded by

    BIG M
    This document provides instructions for a 1.5 hour exam on fundamentals of computer architecture. It contains 3 questions, the first being compulsory, with the other two optional. Question 1 examines basic concepts like binary, hexadecimal, octal conversions and ARM instructions. Question 2 focuses on conditionally executed ARM instructions and writing a subroutine to print a number in hexadecimal. Question 3 is about coprocessors, floating point calculations, and the IEEE 754 floating point number standard. Calculators are not permitted and diagrams may be helpful.

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    CS1031

    One and a Half Hours

    UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

    Fundamentals of Computer Architecture

    January 2003

    Answer Question One and ONE other Question

    The use of electronic calculators is not permitted.

    [PTO]
    2 CS1031

    1. This question examines fundamental background material and is compulsory.

    a) Express the 8-bit binary pattern 1011 1001


    i) in hexadecimal notation
    ii) in octal notation (2 marks)

    b) To which decimal number does the binary pattern 1011 1101 correspond assuming
    that it represents
    i) An unsigned binary integer
    ii) A signed binary integer in 1’s complement notation
    iii) A signed binary integer in 2’s complement notation
    iv) A signed binary integer in sign and magnitude notation (4 marks)

    c) If register r1 contains the value 0x5c and register r2 contains the value 0x6a, what are
    the results of the following ARM instructions
    i) eor r0, r1, r2
    ii) bic r0, r1, r2
    iii) mov r0, r1, ror #4 (6 marks)

    d) Explain, with the aid of a diagram illustrating the layout of affected memory locations,
    the result of the following ARM instruction
    stmda r8!, {r4-r6, r0} (4 marks)

    e) How many address bits are required to address 64 Mbyte of memory in a byte
    addressed memory. (2 marks)

    f) Explain the purpose of the CPSR register in an ARM processor. (2 marks)

    2. a) All instructions in the ARM instruction set may be conditionally executed. Discuss the
    advantages and disadvantages of this feature. (4 marks)

    b) The following subroutine prints in hexadecimal format a number held in register r1.
    Explain the purpose of each line of code.
    Note: it is not enough to merely state the effect of a particular instruction, you should
    also indicate how that statement contributes to the goal of the subroutine. For example,
    the correct explanation of the statement
    HexOut mov r2, #8
    is not “move the value 8 into r0”, but rather “Hexout is a label which identifies the
    subroutine. Register r2 is used as a loop counter and is initialised to the value 8
    because there are 8 hexadecimal digits to be printed” (10 marks)
    3 CS1031

    SWI_WriteC EQU &0


    SWI_Exit EQU &11

    HexOut mov r2, #8


    LOOP mov r0, r1, lsr #28
    cmp r0, #9
    bhi ASCII
    add r0, r0, #"0"
    swi SWI_WriteC
    b NEXT
    ASCII
    add r0, r0, #"A"-10
    swi SWI_WriteC
    NEXT
    mov r1, r1, lsl #4
    subs r2, r2, #1
    bne LOOP
    mov pc, r14

    c) Rewrite this code taking advantage of conditionally executed instructions to remove


    unnecessary branches. (6 marks)

    3. a) What is meant by a coprocessor? (4 marks)

    b) Floating point calculations may be computed using a coprocessor.


    Explain why this functionality is not incorporated directly into the ARM instruction set.
    (2 marks)

    c) Discuss the various compiler options (e.g. software libraries or hardware coprocessors)
    for providing facilities for floating point calculations (4 marks)

    d) Describe the IEEE 754 representation of a single precision floating point number
    (6 marks)

    e) Discuss the reasons for the format chosen for the IEEE 754 standard (4 marks)

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