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1.4.1 CPU Architecture PDF

The document provides details about CPU architecture topics that have appeared on past Computer Science 9608 exam papers. It includes questions about Von Neumann architecture, the purpose of registers like the program counter, memory address register, and how they change during the fetch-execute cycle. The document also discusses different types of buses and how aspects like bus width and clock speed impact computer performance.

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Suhail Alam Khan
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435 views4 pages

1.4.1 CPU Architecture PDF

The document provides details about CPU architecture topics that have appeared on past Computer Science 9608 exam papers. It includes questions about Von Neumann architecture, the purpose of registers like the program counter, memory address register, and how they change during the fetch-execute cycle. The document also discusses different types of buses and how aspects like bus width and clock speed impact computer performance.

Uploaded by

Suhail Alam Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Computer Science 9608

Topical Past Papers:

1.4.1 CPU Architecture


May/June 2004

3. (a) Describe what is meant by Von Neumann architecture. [3]

(b) Explain the purpose of each of the following special registers in a processor.

(i) Program Counter (Sequence Control Register). [2]


(ii) Current Instruction Register. [2]
(iii) Memory Address Register. [2]
(iv) Memory Data Register. [2]
(v) Accumulator. [2]

Oct/NOV 2006

1 (a) Describe the purpose of the following registers in a processor:

(i) Current instruction register (CIR), [2]


(ii) Memory address register (MAR), [2]
(iii) Program counter (PC), [2]
(iv) Index register (IR). [2]
(v) Current instruction register (CIR), [2]

May/June 2007

7. (a) Describe what is meant by Von Neumann architecture. [2]

Oct/NOV 2007

9. (a) State the purpose of the Memory Address Register (MAR) in a computer. [1]

May/June 2008

6. (a) (i) State what is held in the Program Counter (PC) during the fetch/execute cycle. [1]

(ii) Explain how the contents of the PC change during the fetch/execute cycle. [4]

(b) Describe the contents of the memory address register (MAR) during the fetch/execute cycle. [4]

Oct/NOV 2008

8. (a) Describe basic Von Neumann architecture of a computer. [3]

May/June 2009

5. (a) Describe basic Von Neumann processor architecture. [3]

Page 1 of 4
Computer Science 9608
Topical Past Papers:

1.4.1 CPU Architecture


Oct/NOV 2010. P31/ P32

3. (a) Explain what is meant by Von Neumann architecture. [3]

May/June 2011. P31/ P32

1 Name three different types of bus in a processor and state what each is used for. [6]

Oct/NOV 2011. P31

2 (a) Explain what is meant by Von Neumann architecture. [3]

(b) Describe the use of the following special purpose registers and how they change during the fetch-execute cycle.

(i) Program Counter (PC) [3]


(ii) Current Instruction Register (CIR) [3]

Oct/NOV 2011. P32

2 (a) Describe the use of the following special purpose registers and how they change during the fetch-execute cycle.

(i) Memory Address Register (MAR) [3]


(ii) Index Register (IR) [3]

(b) Explain how the address bus and the data bus are used in a computer. [3]

Oct/NOV 2011. P33

2 (a) Describe the use of the Memory Data Register (MDR).

Explain how the contents change during the fetch-execute cycle. [3]

(b) Name three types of bus that are used in a computer. For each one explain what it is used for. [6]

Oct/Nov 2013. P31

3 (a) Most modern computers are designed using Von Neumann architecture. Explain what is meant by Von
Neumann architecture. [2]

Oct/Nov 2013. P32

3 (a) Describe what is meant by a register.

[2]

Page 2 of 4
Computer Science 9608
Topical Past Papers:

1.4.1 CPU Architecture


Computer Science (9608)
May/ June 2015. P11/ P12

8 (a) Explain how the width of the data bus and system clock speed affect the performance of a computer system.

Width of the data bus

Clock speed

[3]

(b) Most computers use Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports to allow the attachment of devices. Describe two benefits of
using USB ports. [2]

May/ June 2015. P13

5 (a) Name and describe three buses used in the von Neumann model. [6]

Oct/Nov 2015. P11/P13

2 (a)

The diagram above shows a simplified form of processor architecture.


Name the three buses labelled A, B and C. [3]

(b) State the role of each of the following special purpose registers used in a typical processor.

Program Counter
Memory Data Register
Current Instruction Register
Memory Address Register [4]

Page 3 of 4
Computer Science 9608
Topical Past Papers:

1.4.1 CPU Architecture


Oct/Nov 2015. P12

6 (a) Describe the stored program concept for the basic Von Neumann model for a computer system. [3]

(b) (i) Name the three types of bus used by a processor. [3]

(ii) State the function of the system clock in a processor. [1]

May/June 2018. P11

8 The Von Neumann model uses a series of registers.


(a) Explain what is meant by the term register. [2]
(b) (i) Explain the purpose of the Memory Data Register (MDR). [2]
(ii) Name two registers, other than the MDR, that are used in the fetch-execute cycle. [2]

Page 4 of 4

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