Questions For NRB 6th IT

Subject: Computer Architecture & Organization and Microprocessors

Long Questions:
1. How does the Von Neumann architecture differ from the Harvard architecture, and what are
the advantages and disadvantages of each?
2. Explain the differences between RISC and CISC architectures. Provide examples of situations
where each architecture might be more suitable.
3. Discuss the various types of parallel processing architectures (SISD, SIMD, MISD, MIMD) and
provide examples of applications that benefit from each type.
4. Describe the different addressing types of addressing modes and their significance in computer
architecture. How do they impact the efficiency of memory access and program execution?
5. Explain the concept of Memory Mapped I/O and discuss its advantages and disadvantages
compared to I/O programming. Additionally, how does DMA (Direct Memory Access) enhance
the efficiency of data transfer between peripherals and memory?
6. Explain the role of DMA (Direct Memory Access) in Input/Output organization. How does DMA
enhance data transfer efficiency, and in what scenarios is it particularly beneficial?
Short Questions:
1. Differentiate between RISC and CISC Machine with an example.
2. What do you mean by memory hierarchy. Explain memory hierarchy.
3. Explain arithmetical instructions in short.
4. Explain logical instruction in short.
5. Explain data transfer instructions in short.
6. Explain different types of addressing mode with an example.
7. Differentiate between the hardwired and Microprogrammed control unit.
Digital Logic Design
Long Questions:
1. Provide a detailed explanation of the fundamental principles of flip-flops. Discuss their role in
digital circuits and highlight the key differences between latches and flip-flops.
2. Explore the characteristics and applications of SR (Set-Reset) flip-flops. Discuss the
construction, truth table, and timing diagrams associated with SR flip-flops.
3. Elaborate on the design and functionality of D (Data) flip-flops. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of D flip-flops compared to other types.
4. Explain the operation of JK flip-flops, including their truth table and characteristic equations.
Discuss the concept of "race condition" in JK flip-flops and methods to eliminate it.
5. Discuss the T (Toggle) flip-flop and its application in various digital circuits. Provide examples to
illustrate how T flip-flops can be used for frequency division and data storage.
6. Compare and contrast synchronous and asynchronous flip-flops. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of each type in terms of design complexity and performance.
 7. Explore the concept of master-slave flip-flops. Explain the need for master-slave configurations,
and discuss how they help address potential timing issues in sequential circuits.
8. Discuss the concept of flip-flop conversion, including the conversion between SR, JK, and D flip-
flops. Provide step-by-step examples to illustrate the conversion process.
9. Explain the excitation tables associated with different types of flip-flops. Discuss how excitation
tables are used in the design and analysis of sequential circuits.
10. Explain the difference between half-adders and full-adders, highlighting their respective roles in
data processing circuits.
11. Describe the function of a multiplexer and provide an example of its application in digital
systems.
12. Discuss the purpose of parity generators and checkers in data processing circuits. How do they
help ensure data integrity?
13. Explain the concept of an encoder and give an example of a scenario where an encoder would
be used in a practical application.
14. Compare and contrast ROM (Read-Only Memory) and PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices),
highlighting their differences in terms of functionality and use in data processing circuits.
Short Questions:
1. Explain the difference between half-adders and full-adders, highlighting their respective roles in
data processing circuits.
2. Describe the function of a multiplexer and provide an example of its application in digital
systems.
3. Discuss the purpose of parity generators and checkers in data processing circuits. How do they
help ensure data integrity?
4. Explain the concept of an encoder and give an example of a scenario where an encoder would
be used in a practical application.
5. Compare and contrast ROM (Read-Only Memory) and PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices),
highlighting their differences in terms of functionality and use in data processing circuits.
6. What are the Universal gates? Explain with suitable example.
7. Explain the difference between half-adders and full-adders, highlighting their respective roles in
data processing circuits.
8. Describe the function of a multiplexer and provide an example of its application in digital
systems.
9. Discuss the purpose of parity generators and checkers in data processing circuits. How do they
help ensure data integrity?
10. Explain the concept of an encoder and give an example of a scenario where an encoder would
be used in a practical application.
11. Compare and contrast ROM (Read-Only Memory) and PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices),
highlighting their differences in terms of functionality and use in data processing circuits.
12. Explain the error detection code with the help of suitable example.
13. What do you mean by Gray Code? Explain them with an example
14. Why NAND and NOR gates are called Universal gates? Explain with an example.

15. Why do we need 2’s Complement Subtraction? Perform the 2’s Complement Subtraction for
the following number.

a. 111112-10102
b. 11012-111112
Operating System:
Long Questions:
1. Discuss the concept of Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) and its advantages in enhancing
system performance. Provide examples of scenarios where SMP is particularly beneficial.

2. Explain the architecture and functionalities of Micro-kernels in operating systems. Compare

Micro-kernels with Monolithic Kernels, highlighting their differences and trade-offs.

3. Explore the challenges of managing concurrency in a multi-threaded environment. Discuss the

importance of mutual exclusion and synchronization in ensuring proper execution of
concurrent processes.

4. Compare and contrast the Least Recently Used (LRU) and First-In-First-Out (FIFO) page
replacement algorithms. Discuss scenarios in which one algorithm might outperform the other.
5. Explain the concept of the Belady's anomaly in the context of page replacement algorithms.
How does the phenomenon impact the performance of algorithms such as FIFO and LRU?
6. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Optimal page replacement algorithm. In what
situations is it practical, and what challenges might arise in its implementation?
7. Compare the Clock page replacement algorithm with the Second Chance algorithm. Highlight
their similarities, differences, and scenarios where each algorithm is most effective.
8. Explain the concept of the Working Set Model and its relevance to page replacement
algorithms. How does the Working Set Model help in determining an appropriate page
replacement policy for a given system?
9. Provide a detailed overview of Inter-Process Communication (IPC) mechanisms, including
message passing and shared memory. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each
method.
10. Define and discuss the concept of semaphores. Explain how semaphores are used for
synchronization and mutual exclusion. Include a numerical example to illustrate their
application.

Short Questions on OS:

1. What is Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP), and how does it contribute to better utilization of
multiple processors in a system?
2. Explain the concept of Micro-kernels and highlight one advantage and one disadvantage of
using a Micro-kernel architecture.
3. Define Concurrency in the context of processes and threads. How does it differ from
parallelism?
 4. What is Mutual Exclusion, and why is it essential in multi-process systems? Provide an example
of a scenario where Mutual Exclusion is crucial.
5. Briefly describe the role of Semaphores in achieving synchronization between processes.
6. Name three features that are important for a process scheduling algorithm. How do these
features impact system performance?
7. List two common features of Inter-Process Communication (IPC) mechanisms. Why is IPC
crucial in modern operating systems?
8. Identify a situation that may lead to a deadlock in a system. How can deadlock prevention
strategies be implemented?
9. Define a Process in the context of operating systems. What are the key features of a Process
Management System?
10. Explain the concept of Virtual Memory Management. How does it enhance the effective
utilization of system memory?
11. Differentiate between Parallel Processing and Distributed Processing. Provide an example
scenario where each is applicable.
12. Identify two security threats to operating systems and briefly explain how authentication and
access authorization address these threats.
13. Describe the organization of I/O devices in a computer system. How does interrupt handling
contribute to efficient I/O operations?
14. Explain the concept of Distributed Message Passing. In what scenarios is this communication
method preferable in distributed systems?
15. Define RPC (Remote Procedure Call) and provide an example of a situation where RPC is
commonly used in distributed systems.
16. Explain the functions of an Operating System with an example.
17. Why Operating system is called resource manager? List out the types of operating system and
explain only two of them.

Database Management System:

Long Questions:

1.Provide a detailed explanation of the key concepts introduced in the content section "Introduction to
Databases." Why are databases essential in modern computing?

2.Define and discuss the fundamental principles of a Database Model. How does the Relational
Database Model differ from other database models?

3.Explore the concept of Integrity in the context of databases. How is data integrity maintained in a
Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)?

4.Explain the significance of SQL (Structured Query Language) and Embedded SQL in database
management. How do they contribute to data manipulation and retrieval?

5.Describe the process of writing basic SQL queries, covering Data Definition Language (DDL), Data
Manipulation Language (DML), and Data Control Language (DCL) operations.

6.Discuss the basics of SQL middleware, focusing on SQL API and Open SQL Gateway. How do these
technologies facilitate interaction with databases?
7.Explore the techniques for restricting and sorting data in SQL. Provide examples to illustrate the
application of these techniques in real-world scenarios.

8.Explain the concept of Sub-Queries in SQL. How can sub-queries be used to manipulate data and
create/manage tables?

9.Discuss the process of creating views in a relational database. How are user access controls
implemented, and what is the importance of managing user access?

10.Provide an overview of set operators in SQL. Explain the usage of date-time functions and their
significance in querying and managing temporal data.

11.Define the fundamental concepts of Relational Database Design, including ER Diagrams and various
types of keys (primary, foreign, candidate, alternate keys).

12.Explore the principles of normalization, covering 1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, and 4NF. Explain the
importance of normalization in database design.

13.Explore the principles of Transaction Management and Concurrency Control. How is concurrent
execution of user programs and transactions managed, and what are the techniques for concurrency
control?

Short Questions:

1. Explain the steps of query processing in optimization in detail.

2. What do you mean by key? Differentiate between primary and foreign key with an example.
3. What do you mean by constraint? Explain Check and Unique constraint with an example.
4. Explain the database design steps with clear diagram.
5. What is normalization? Explain 3NF and 4NF with an appropriate example.
6. What do you mean by data model? Discuss the different types of data model used in database.
7. What are the major component of ER Diagram? Explain.
8. What do you mean by attribute? Explain different types of attributes.
9. Discuss the ACID properties in transaction.
10. Explain 2 Phase locking procotol.