EXAMINATION

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PROGRAMME(S): DIT/BIT/ BCS/BSF

SESSION: DAY
MODULE CODE AND TITLE: LEVEL
DIT 1205, BCS 1102 DIT 1.2, BIT 1.2, BCS 1.2, BSE 1.2
Computer Organization & Architecture
DATE: TIME:
February, 2025

DURATION: TOTAL MARKS:

6 HOURS 100

EXAMINER/ LECTURER: MODERATOR:

MR. SSEMWOGERERE JOSEPH DR. KAKEETO DAVID
MARY

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CANDIDATE/ STUDENT

1. V-class is the ONLY official examination platform.
2. Questions must be attempted in the answer booklet/sheet provided on V-class.
3. All queries should be directed to the examiner, Head of Department, or Dean.
4. You have SIX HOURS to complete this paper. No exam answer sheet shall be accepted after the 6
hours (the system has closed).
5. This is an OPEN BOOK (Online) examination.
6. Attempt 4 Questions in total. All questions carry equal marks (25 marks each).
7. All questions n Section A are COMPULSORY
8. Read each question carefully before beginning to type/write your answers.
9. Review the grades assigned to each question of the examination and allocate your
time accordingly.
10. Review your answers carefully before submitting your examination.
11. After submitting your exam answer sheet, Cross-Check to ensure your examination was
attached and sent to V-class and received a confirmation message.

1|Page
 Section A
Answer All Questions
HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF COMPUTERS
Computers are generally defined as automated machines where data is input, processed and
displayed using relevant devices. They operate according to how they are programmed, whether
wrongly or truly.
Despite its high intelligence, the human brain is lacking rapidity and capacity to deal with huge
tasks of data processing, thus, a machine that can process big amounts of data in a very fast way had
to be developed.
Before computers were invented, people over the world used different methods including primitive
materials like papyrus, a crude form of paper by ancient Egyptians. Many other methods and
techniques were used at this period, but with the genius of human beings, inventions with regard to
computing were launched. A number of scientists (Wilhelm Schickard, Blaise Pascal, Leibnitz, Ada
Lovelace) worked on the field, improving progressively the computer systems in terms of quality
and space.
There are different types of computers. At the very beginning, the Mainframe Computer was the
model. However, as it was costly and required more staff, it was later superseded by the
Minicomputer which offered various software systems for multiple tasks, then the Microcomputers
appeared afterwards, with the particularity of using microprocessors, then the Super Computer
which is very powerful and adapted for many tasks.

QUESTION ONE
(a) People sometimes define computers depending on the tasks they perform. Give any two
different definitions of a computer depending on the tasks they perform. (4 marks)

(b) Computers operate according to how they are programmed, whether wrongly or truly. Use an
example to help you explain clearly what this statement means. (4 marks)

(c) (i) Despite its high intelligence, the human brain is lacking rapidity and capacity to
deal with huge tasks of data processing. Use a relevant example to justify this
statement. (4 marks)
(ii) Explain briefly cases where a computer may not be able to replace the human brain.
(4 marks)
(d) Studying Computer Architecture and fully understanding the various computer designs and
models is increasingly becoming a complicated task. Give reasons either to support or to
oppose this statement. (4 marks)

(e) Computers have become so common nowadays that we sometimes use computers without
knowing that we are actually dealing with computers. Give some two examples to justify this
statement. (5 marks)
(Total 25 marks)

QUESTION TWO
(a) Some early machines were invented to solve some pressing problems that existed during their
times. Mention the designer of each of the following machines and briefly explain the
problem at hand that was being solved.
(i) The Pascaline
(ii) The Tabulating Machine
2|Page
 (iii) The Colossus
(iv) The ENIAC (8 marks)

(b) The History of Computers has been described using different Computer generations. What is
the criteria used to define a Computer Generation? Use relevant examples to help you explain
your answer. (5 marks)

(c) The IAS computer was one of the first stored-program computers. What does this statement
mean? Give an example of some other computers invented around the same time with this
feature and the names of the people behind these inventions. (6 marks)

(d) Mention and explain the features of the first computers with the following features:
(i) Time Sharing
(ii) Computer Games
(iii) Batch Processing and Multiprogramming (6 marks)

(Total 25 marks)

Section B
Answer Any two questions
QUESTION THREE
(a) Interfaces are devices connecting any devices to a system bus. Some interfaces have
special names by which they are known.
(i) Give special names of any three interfaces (3 marks)

(ii) A memory interface can be compared to person who sorts out mails in the Post Office.
Compare the postman’s activities with the functions of the memory interface. (4 marks)

(iii) I/O interfaces communicate commands from the Processor to the particular device and
they also communicate the status of the device to the machine. Give an example of each
of the above functions when the CPU is communicating with a particular device.
(4 marks)
(b) Perform the following conversions from the bases given to decimal
(i) 11001112 (Using Horner’s Rule) (ii) 0.00111012
(iii) 2BF416 (iv) 37338 (8 marks)

(c) Given a binary number 11011.100112 find its equivalent in:

(i) Base ten (Decimal) (ii) Base 8 (Octal) (iii) Base 16 (Hexadecimal)
(6 marks)

(Total 25 marks)

QUESTION FOUR
(a) Assume a base ten number 23.87510 and find its equivalent in
(i) Binary (2 marks)
(ii) Hexadecimal (2 mark)
(iii) The Typical 32-bit Floating Point Format (2 marks)
(iv) The Single precision IEEE / INTEL Floating Point Format (2 marks)
(v) The Double precision IEEE / INTEL Floating Point Format (2marks)
3|Page
(b) Perform the following Arithmetic calculations in the given bases:
(i) 110001112 (ii) 100112 (iii) BEAF16
+ 100111002 x 1012 -- FED16 (6 marks)
100011102

(c) Assume a Binary number 11001100 find its equivalent in base ten assuming that:
(i) It’s an ordinary Binary Number (1 mark)
(ii) It’s a Sign Magnitude Number (1 mark)
(iii) It’s a 1’s Complement Number (1 mark)
(iv) It’s a 2’s Complement Number (1 mark)
(v) It’s a Signed BCD Number (1 mark)

(d) You are given two binary numbers A = 01101101 and B = 11011100; find A + B assuming
that they are:
(i) Sign Magnitude numbers (2 marks)
(ii) 2’s Complement Numbers (2 marks)

(Total 25 marks)

QUESTION FIVE
(a) Convert the following numbers from their formats to base 10.
(i) 8BC00000 (Typical 32bit Floating point format) (3 marks)
(ii) C1700000 (IEEE Floating point format) (3 marks)

(b) Assume the Typical 32-bit Floating Point Format and perform the calculations:
(i) 84DB0000 + 837C00000 (ii) 84B00000 x 82C00000 (6 marks)

(c) (i) Convert the following infix expression to postfix:

(a * b) – (a / b)
c(a – b) (2 marks)

(ii) Assume that a = 10, b= 3, c = 5 and give the result of the following postfix expression:
ab*ac++ab+cb-+/ (3 marks)

(d) (i) Assume that each alphanumeric ASCII character is represented by 7 bits, decipher the
following code: 1001010110111111010001101110 (3 marks)

(ii) Interpret the following EBCFDIC string:

11010110101001001001100101000000111001011110010001011010 (3 marks)

(e) Given a base ten number +54110 write its equivalent as:
(i) Packed BCD number (1 marks)
(ii) Extended BCD number (1 marks)

(Total 25 marks)

4|Page
QUESTION SIX
(a) Consider the following two circuits below:
(i) Find the output of each circuit (2 marks)
(ii) Prove whether the two circuits are equivalent or not. (3 marks)

A B C A B C

(b) Design a Logical circuit with three inputs A, B and C and one output X such that X is 1 if
the majority of the inputs are 0’s. Assume that cases where both A and B are 1’s are not
allowed to occur. (6 marks)

(c) A Karnaugh Map is described by an expression F(A,B,C,D) = (4,5,8,9,10,11,12).

(i) Draw a Truth Table corresponding to the above expression. (3 marks)
(iii) Generate the corresponding Sum of Products expression (3 marks)
(iv) Simplify the expression using the Karnaugh Map method (3 marks)
(v) Simplify the same expression again using the Karnaugh Map method assuming that
there are also some Don’t Care cases described by an expression d(A,B,C,D) =
(0,2,15) (3 marks)
(vi) Draw a Logical Diagram corresponding to the simplified expression from part (iv)
above. (2 marks)

(Total 25 marks)

5|Page