MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
FINAL EXAMINATION
TRIMESTER 3, 2024 / 2025 (TERM ID: 2430)
TCO 1114 - INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER
ARCHITECTURE AND OPERATING SYSTEM
(Foundation in Information Technology)
19 FEBRUARY 2025
9 a.m-11 a.m
( 2 Hours)
INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENT
1. This question paper consists of 3 pages (excluding the cover page) with 5
questions only.
2. Attempt ALL questions. All questions carry equal marks and the distribution of
the marks for each question is given.
3. Please write all your answers in the Answer Booklet provided.
TCO111 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE 19 FEBRUARY 2025
4 AND OPERATING SYSTEM
QUESTION 1 [10 Marks]
a. Briefly discuss why IBM System 370 machine is the best example to use when
explaining the meaning of computer architecture?
(3 marks)
b. The evolution of the computer is divided into five subsequent phases called the
computer generations which are from first generation to fifth generation. State and
briefly explain any THREE (3) significance features of third generation
computers.
(3 marks)
c. Briefly describe what is the concept of"Von Neumann architecture".
(2 marks)
d. From your observation of developments in microprocessor technology from the
first general-purpose microprocessor which was around 1970s to the latest
microprocessor technology, state any FOUR (4) features that are enhanced from
time to time to give better impact to the performance of a computer system.
(2 marks)
QUESTION 2 [10 Marks]
a. Do the following conversions and show the steps clearly.
i. Convert the decimal number 41.6875 to binary.
ii. Convert the binary number 1110IOI to decimal.
iii. Convert the decimal number 7562 to octal.
iv. Convert the hexadecimal number 7C to binary.
(4 marks)
b. Show the steps and the result of the following binary arithmetic operations.
i. 0010 1101 + 0011 1110
ii. 1100 0000- 0011 0101
(2 marks)
c. Show the steps to convert a decimal number -120 to 8-bit signed binary in two's
complement representation.
(2 marks)
d. Show the steps to convert a decimal number 120.25 to 32-bit binary floating-point
standard.
(2 marks)
Continued...
KNL 1/3
TCO111 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE 19 FEBRUARY 2025
4 AND OPERATING SYSTEM
QUESTION 3 [10 Marks]
a. Explain in sentences what each the following instruction accomplishes when it is
executed.
i. LDAXB
ii. DCRB
iii. SHLD 4005H
iv. ADDM
(2 marks)
b. Name the addressing mode of the following instructions.
i. STAXD
ii. MVI B, BDH
iii. STA 5000H
iv. MOVB,A
(2 marks)
c. Write_ an assembly language program to add numbers 30H, 6CH and BBH, and
the result is to be stored in memory location 6000H.
(2 marks)
d. What will be the contents of accumulator and flag registers, after the execution of
the following instructions?
MVIA,0CH
MVIB, 05H
ADDB
HLT
Accumulator -
S-
Z-
AC-
P-
CY-
(3 marks)
e. Write one-line assembly language instruction to do the following operations.
i. To load data from memory location 2050H to register A.
ii. To subtract data ofregister C from Accumulator.
(1 mark)
Continued...
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TCO1114 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE 19 FEBRUARY 2025
AND OPERATING SYSTEM
QUESTION 4 [10 Marks]
a. State any FOUR (4) basic tasks of an operating system in a computer.
(2 marks)
b. One of the highlights introduced during third generation computers was spooling
in operating system. What is spooling? How can it help to increase the
perfonnance of a computer system?
(2 marks)
c. Briefly discuss the difference between multiprocessing operating systems and
multitasking operating systems.
(2 marks)
d. An operating system has to manage the "storage" in the computer. What are the
TWO (2) types of "storage" and state the THREE (3) activities involved during
storage management.
(4 marks)
QUESTION 5 [10 Marks]
a. In Windows operating system, File Explorer is a program to do file management.
State any FOUR (4) tasks that you can perform using this program.
(2 marks)
b. Contiguous, linked and indexed are three types of file allocation method. Which
method is the best among the three methods? Briefly explain.
(2 marks)
c. Protection in the file system can be accomplished by controlling the type of access
to the file. For an example, if the access type of the file is to list only, the user can
see the file name and its attributes only. State any other FOUR (4) types of access
on files that can be controlled in file access mechanism.
(2 marks)
d. Utility programs help our computers run more effectively. Briefly explain how the
following programs help to do that.
i. Compression program
ii. Defragmentation program
iii. Backup program
iv. Antivirus program
(4 marks)
End cif Paper
KNL 3/3
