Chapter 1 Test Bank

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Last update: 09/27/2002
Copyright Kip Irvine. All rights reserved. You may use and modify this test for instructional
purposes as long as you have adopted Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers (Irvine) for
your current semester course. You are welcome to edit and extract questions from this test as long
as you do not reproduce or distribute the questions outside of your own classroom.

Fill in the Blanks and Short Answer

1. Which popular programming language is well-known for executing its target programs on a virtual
machine? Java

2. In any numbering system, the ____ specifies the number of different symbols that can be assigned
to a single digit. base or radix

3. Translate the following decimal numbers to binary:

a. 33 00100001
b. 16 00010000
c. 7 00000111
d. 72 01001000

4. Translate the following decimal numbers to hexadecimal:

a. 33 21
b. 95 5F
c. 257 101
d. 74 4A

5. Add the following binary integers: 101101 and 00111011 1101000

6. Form the 8-bit two's complement of each binary integer:

a. 00000001 11111111
b. 00001000 11111000
c. 11110000 00010000
d. 00001111 11110001

7. Translate the following signed decimal numbers to binary:

a. 33 11011111
b. 78 10110010
c. 7 11111001
d.   11111111

8. Convert the following string to a sequence of hexadecimal ASCII codes: "AX123" 41h,
58h, 31h, 32h, 33h (supply students with an ASCII table if you use this question)

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 4th Edition 1

Multiple-Choice
(Some of the following questions have more than one correct answer. Circle all correct answers.)

9. A program that combines object files into an executable program is called a _________.
a. compiler
b. loader
c. linker
d. assembler
answer: c

10. If virtual machine V2 is radically different that virtual machine V1, what major problem results
when we try to run V2 programs on machine V1?
a. translation is too difficult
b. machine V2 cannot run V1 programs
c. V1 would have to be written in microcode
d. V2 would have to be implemented by software
answer: a

11. A computer directly executes programs written in its _______ language.

a. system
b. native
c. interpreted
d. machine
answer: b,d

12. What is the value of the booloean expression X  (Y  Z), when X=true, Y=false, and Z=true?
a. true
b. false
ans: a

13. Is the expression X  (Y  Z) equivalent to (X  Y)  (X  Z) for all possible inputs of X, Y, and

Z?
a. yes
b. no
ans: a

14. The following C++ expression can be written using only two lines of assembly language code:
X = (Y + 4) * 3;
a. true
b. false
ans: b

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 4th Edition 2

 15. A dynamic link library (DLL) is usually written in C++ or assembly language.
a. true
b. false
ans: a

16. A interpreter decodes and executes one program statement at a time.

a. true
b. false
ans: a

17. A virtual machine may only be constructed from software.

a. true
b. false
ans: b

18. The operating system is considered a virtual machine in the example hierarchy shown in this
chapter.
a. true
b. false
ans: a

19. If ISA-level instructions could be executed directly by computer hardware, a microcode interpreter
would be unecessary.
a. true
b. false
ans: a

20. A single hexadecimal digit can be used to represent 5 binary bits.

a. true
b. false
ans: b

21. The most significant bit in a binary byte is numbered bit 7.

a. true
b. false
ans: a

22. The sum of all powers of 2 between 20 and 27 is 255.

a. true
b. false
ans: a

23. A quadword is 8 bytes.

a. true

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 4th Edition 3

 b. false
ans: a

24. A word (on Intel systems) is 16 bits.

a. true
b. false
ans: a

25. A doubleword is 64 bits.

a. true
b. false
ans: b

26. A signed integer stores the sign in the least significant bit (LSB).
a. true
b. false
ans: b

27. If an integer's sign bit is 1, the integer is negative.

a. true
b. false
ans: a

28. A signed byte can be equal to +128.

a. true
b. false
ans: b

29. Boolean algebra was invented by Samuel M. Boole, an American inventor who lived in the 1920's.
a. true
b. false
ans: b

30. The expression X Y is true only when X and Y are both true.
a. true
b. false
ans: a

31. The expression X Y is only true when X and Y are both true.
a. true
b. false
ans: b

32. The expression X Y is true when X is false and Y is true.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 4th Edition 4

 a. true
b. false
ans: a

33. The expression (X Y) is true when X and Y are both false.
a. true
b. false
ans: a

34. The three most basic operators in Boolean algebra are AND, OR, and NOT.
a. true
b. false
ans: a

35. The integer range of standard ASCII codes is:

a. -128 to +127
b. 0 to 127
c. 0 to 270
d. 0 to 65,535
ans: b

36. How many bits are used by Unicode characters?

a. 7
b. 8
c. 16
d. 24
ans: c

37. Which type of program must usually run on multiple platforms?

a. device driver
b. business application
c. embedded system
d. assembler
answer: b

38. Which of the following best describes the relationship between assembly language and machine
language?
a. one to many
b. one to one
c. many to one
d. many to many
answer: b

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 4th Edition 5

 39. A program is considered portable if it . . .
a. can be rewritten in a different programming language without losing its meaning.
b. can be quickly copied from conventional RAM into high-speed RAM.
c. can be executed on multiple platforms.
d. none of the above
answer: c

40. A device driver would ordinarily be written in . . .

a. machine language
b. assembly language
c. a platform-independent language, such as Java
d. an application-oriented language
answer: b

41. Which of the following are embedded systems applications?

a. an accounting program
b. a javascript program running on a Web page
c. a Nintendo® video game
d. a phone book searching program in a cellular phone
answers: c, d

42. Suppose a program written in language L1 must be executed on a machine running a program
running in language L0. What important operation must take place?
a. translation of the entire L1 program into L0 code
b. translation of the L0 program into L1 code
c. creation of a language L3 that interprets L0 instructions
d. interpretation of each L1 statement using L0 code as the L1 program is running
answers: a, d

43. Conventional machine language instructions are executed by which virtual machine level?
a. microarchitecture level
b. ISA level
c. assembly language level
d. operating system level
answer: a

44. Which language (or virtual machine) uses short mnemonics such as ADD and SUB to identify
instructions?
a. conventional machine language
b. ISA-level language
c. assembly language

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 4th Edition 6

 d. microcode interpreter
answer: c

45. What is the largest unsigned integer that may be stored in 16 bits?
a. 32767
b. 65536
c. 65535
d. 32768
answer: c

46. What is the largest signed integer that may be stored in 32 bits?
a. 232  1
b. 232
c. 231  1
d. 231
answer: c

47. The two's complement of an integer is formed by doing which of the following?
a. reversing (inverting) the bits and adding 1
b. adding 1 and reversing the bits
c. calculating the integer's additive inverse
d. changing the highest bit to a 1
answers: a, c

48. Which of the following unsigned decimal values is equivalent to binary 10110101 ?
a. 179
b. 181
c. 182
d. 175
answer: b

49. Which of the following unsigned decimal values is equivalent to binary 11110000 ?
a. 216
b. 150
c. 240
d. 238
answer: c

50. Which list contains the correct hexadecimal translation (in order) of the following unsigned
decimal integers? 33, 95, 257
a. 21, 5F, 101
b. 22, 5E, 11A

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 4th Edition 7

 c. 6A, 5F, 101
d. 51, 149, 599
answer: a

51. Which of the following signed decimal values is equivalent to binar 11110000 ?
a. 8
b. 16
c. 240
d. +240
answer: b

52. Which of the following signed decimal values is equivalent to binar 00001111 ?
a. 
b. 
c. 15
d. +15
answer: d

53. Which of the following binary values is equivalent to hexadecimal 4A2B?

a. 0100 1010 0010 1101
b. 0100 1010 0010 1011
c. 0100 1010 0010 1011
d. 0110 1011 0010 1001
answer: c

54. Which of the following binary values is equivalent to hexadecimal 7CBE?

a. 0111 1101 1011 1110
b. 0111 1011 1011 1100
c. 0111 1100 1100 1110
d. 0111 1100 1011 1110
answer: d

55. Which of the following is the binary translation of signed decimal 33 ?
a. 11011111
b. 10101011
c. 11001100
d. 11100011
answer: a

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Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 4th Edition 9