6 exam-style questions with full mark schemes and model answers. Write your own answer and the AI examiner marks it against the mark scheme.
Learn this properly: The Purpose of the CPUA games developer is comparing two CPUs for a new gaming computer. CPU A has a higher clock speed; CPU B has more cores and a larger cache.
Discuss how clock speed, the number of cores and cache size each affect the performance of a CPU, and evaluate which CPU might be better for running demanding games. (6 marks)
The CPU continually carries out the fetch-decode-execute (FDE) cycle.
(a) Describe what happens in the fetch stage and the decode stage of the cycle. (2 marks)
(b) Name the register that holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched, and name the register that holds the instruction (or data) currently being transferred to or from memory. (2 marks)
The CPU contains an Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) and a Control Unit (CU).
Describe the role of the ALU and the role of the CU within the CPU. (3 marks)
A washing machine and a digital watch both contain an embedded system.
(a) State what is meant by an embedded system. (2 marks)
(b) State one reason why an embedded system in a washing machine is designed to perform only a limited range of functions. (1 mark)
Modern computers are based on the von Neumann architecture.
State two characteristics of the von Neumann architecture. (2 marks)
The CPU repeatedly carries out a three-stage cycle to process each instruction in a program.
State the name of this cycle. (1 mark)