MCQs
What is the name of the single circuit board that provides the path through which the processor communicates with memory components and peripheral devices?
a. Motherboard b. Master board c. Circuit master d. Bus master
What small computers control the operation of peripheral devices?
a. Microprocessors b. Microcomputers c. Device controller d. Bus masters.
Which of the following is NOT a function of the control unit?
a. To read and interpret program instructions.
b. To monitor network connections
c. To direct the operation of internal processor components
d. To control the flow of programs and data in and out of RAM
The processor’s high-speed working storage areas that store only a few bytes are called?
a. Decoders b. Registers c. Units d. Modules
The program register contains the:
a. Instruction being executed
b. Location in RAM of the next instruction to be executed
c. Results of the arithmetic and logic unit.
d. Instruction that is being decoded
Which type of PROM is found on all new PCs, I/O devices, and storage devices and is easily altered by the user?
a. RIMM b. SIMM c. DIMM d. Flash
How is an instruction cycle measured?
a. Instruction time or l-time only
b. Calculation time or C-time only
c. Execution time or E-time only
d. The lotal of l-time and E-time
CISC means:
a. Completely integrated serial computer
b. Coded instruction set computer
c. Common interactive sequential computer
d. Complex instruction set computer
The ability of processors to execute another instruction before the current instruction is
completed is called:
a. Parallel processing b. Multiprocessing c. Pipelining d. Streamlining
The new USB 2.0 standard is times faster that the original USB standard.
a. 2 b. 10 c. 40 d. 100
Which bus is also called FireWire?
a. PCI local bus b. Universal Serial Bus (USB) c. 1394 Bus d. SCSI
What port transmits data via infrared light waves?
a. IrDA b. USB 2.0 c. 1394 d. Parallel
What percent of PCs uses an Intel processor?
a. 50 b. 75 c. 90
Which hardware components of computer are usually found inside of the systems unit?
a. Processor, main memory and monitor
b. Processor, main memory and secondary memory
c. First, second, and third memory
d. The keyboard, the disks, and the memory
Which of the following is driving force of a computer?
a. Computer clock b. Input device c. Output device d. Memory
Which of the following is the main component of the computer?
a. Memory b. output unit c. Input Unit d. CPU
The CPU is an example of:
a. Software b. Program c. Hardware d. Input unit
CPU stands for
a. Central Processing Unit
b. Central Product Unit
c. Computing Program Usage
d. Central Programming Unit
The arithmetic/logic unit performs the following actions:
a. Control computer operations
b. Perform arithmetic functions such as addition and subtraction etc.
c. Perform logical comparisons, such as equal to, greater than, less than
d. Both b and c
The CPU includes all of the following components except:
a. Primary storage b. ALU c. Control Unit d. Register
Which component of CPU decides which operations are to be performed by the CPU?
a. ALU b. Control unit c. Register d. None
Which component of CPU compares the contents of two pieces of data?
a. ALU b. Control Unit c. Memory d. None
Which of the following is not used for data storage?
a. Disk b. Control unit c. RAM d. Register
All of the following are performed by the control unit except:
a. Executing an instruction
b. Storing data into registers
c. Fetching an instruction from memory
d. Determining the meaning of an instruction
Which component of CPU interacts with primary memory?
a. ALU b.control unit c. central processor d. Bus
Magnetic memory is also called:
a. RAM b. DVD-ROM c. Cache Memory d. Disk Memory
RAM is:
a. Volatile b. Nonvolatile c. Slow d. permanent storage
A bus line consists of:
a. Registers b. Accumulators c. Parallel data path d. Computer clock
A set of electrical paths that transport data from one part of the computer to another is called:
a. Bus b. Monitors c. Computer clock d. None
A type of buses that are used to control the sequence of operations while program is
executed is called:
a. Data bus. b. control bus c. Address bus d. None
Additional data and programs not being used by the CPU are stored in:
a. Secondary Storage b. Input Units c. Output Units d. CPU
Step by step instructions that run the computer are called:
a. Hardware b. Documents c. CPU d. Software
When CPU executes an instruction, which of the following happens first
a. Data fetch b. Instruction fetch c. Instruction execute d. Interpret instruction
Which of the following change the sequence of program?
a. Change program instruction
b. Control Transfer instruction
c. Data Transfer instruction
d. Change Sequence instruction
The process of translating instructions into commands is called:
a. Fetching b. Decoding c. Executing d. Transferring
Computer operations are synchronized by:
a. CPU clock b. Input device c. output device d. RAM
The system clock:
a. Keeps the time of day.
b. Keeps the system’s processing time.
c. Determines how long data remains in memory.
d. Measures data transfer time.
The clock rate of a processor is measured in:
a. Kilobyte b. Megahertz c. Megabyte d. Kilohertz
The shortest period of time:
a. Millisecond b. Nanosecond c. Pico second d. Microsecond
MHz is an abbreviation for:
a. Megahertz b. Milli hertz c. Micro hertz d. None
Temporary storage area within in the CPU are called:
a. Registers b. Accumulator c. ROMs d. RAM
All of the following may be stored in registers except:
a. Program instructions b. Memory addresses c. Data d. CPU instruction set
Registers that collect the results of computation are called:
a. General purpose b. Main Storage c. Storage registers d. Accumulator
The size of the accumulator register is:
a. 1 to 4 bit b. 1 to 4 kB c.1 to 4 bytes d. 1 to 4 MB
The size of DI, SI, SP and BP stack control register is:
a. 2 bytes each b. 6 bytes each c. 4 bytes each d. 8 bytes each
Which is not a kind of register?
a. Flag b. Segment c. Accumulator d. Math coprocessor
How many events happen on a CPU while executing an instruction?
a. 5 b.4. c.3 d.6
Which of the following factors does not affect computer processing speed:
a. Register b. RAM c. Speed of system clock d. Keyboard size
The CPU consists of the following parts:
a. CU and Main Memory
b. Control Unit and ALU
c. Main Memory and storage
d. Operating system and application
The data that is input into the ALU must reside in:
a. Secondary storage b. Control unit c. RAM d. Registers
Which of the following is not used for data storage?
a. Disk b. the control unit c. RAM d. Registers
Random access memory is located in:
a. Registers on the CPU
b. a chip near the CPU
c. Magnetic devices external to the computer
d. Bus lines on a microprocessor
Large amounts of memory can be stored least expensively in:
a. RAM. b. Registers. c Secondary storage. d. Primary storage.
A program’s instructions are stored in primary memory:
a. As long as a particular instruction is being processed in the ALU.
b. As long as the program is installed on the computer.
c. As long as the program is executing on the system.
d. As long as the user is interacting with the program.
The term used to describe the steps of fetching decoding, executing and storing the results of program instructions is:
a. Processing. b. Machine cycle. c. Instruction setting. d. I-time.
Machine cycle refer to:
a. l-time b. E-time c. Both l-time and E-time d. Neither I-time nor E-time.
Which of the following actions is done during the I-time of the machine cycle?
a. Decoding the instruction
b. Fetching the data to be processed by the instruction
c. Executing the instruction
d. Storing the results of the instruction
The unit of electronic circuitry that represents a single bit is called a
a. Chip b. Motherboard. c. Transistor. d. Register.
The following are all Intel chips or Intel-like chips except:
a. Xeon b. Celeron c. Cyrix d. Power PC
Which of the following is a volatile form of memory?
a. RISC b. Semiconductor RAM c. Flash RAM d. Programmable ROM
Which of the following can be used for permanent storage of changeable data?
a. Cache b. Semiconductor RAM c. Flash RAM d. Programmable ROM
Which of the following is the correct sequence of slowest-to-fastest RAM technologies?
a. SRAM – SDRAM – DRAM – RDRAM
b. DRAM -SDRAM – RDRAM – SRAM
c. SDRAM – RDRAM – DDRAM-SRAM
d. DRAM – SRAM – RDRAM – SDRAM
Which form of RAM utilizes battery power to retain information while computer is off?
a. DRAM b. SRAM c. L2 Cached. d. CMOS RAM
Which of the following is the most likely use for static RAM technology?
a. Primary memory b. Secondary storage c. Cache memory d. Registers
Expansion slots connect interface cards to:
a. Ports. b. Peripheral devices. c. Motherboard. d. System bus.
A port provides an interface between:
a. Expansion board and a peripheral device.
b. Adaptor card and the motherboard.
c. The CPU and Ll cache.
d. DRAM and SRAM.
Which is the correct correspondence of cycle time and cycle speed?
a. Picosecond – gigahertz
b. Millisecond-megahertz
c. Nanosecond – kilohertz
d. Nanosecond – gigahertz
Which of the following storage areas are kept within the CPU?
a. DRAM b. L1 Cache c. L2 Cache d. MIP RAM
Which of the following technologies pertain to the size of a CPU’s instruction set?
a. SRAM b. SIMM c. CRISC d. ISA
The ability to execute one instruction while the next is being fetched is made possible via:
a. Multiprogramming. b. Pipelining. c. Supercomputing d.CISC.
Which of the following involves the use of multiple processors in a single computer?
a. Pipeline processing
b. RISC processing
c. Parallel processing
d. Microprocessing
Built-in vocabulary of instructions that the processor can execute on a given computer is called:
a. Language b. Instruction set c. Chip size d. High-level language
The processors determines how individual components of the processor are put together on a chip.
a. Architecture b. Density c. Power distribution d. Both a and c
A computer processor with a smaller instruction set is sometimes classified as:
a. CISC b. RISC C. CIŞT d . CISR
A computer processor with a larger instruction set is sometimes classified as:
a. CISC b. RISE c. CIST d. CISR
The difference between a RISC and a CISC is:
a. RISC is faster b. RISC is smaller c. CISC is larger d. all of the above
The difference between RISC and CISC is:
a. RISC is slower b. CISC is smaller c. CISC is slower d. both b&c
Older Macintosh systems used processors developed and manufactured primarily by:
a. IBM b. Motorola c. Intel d. AMD
Newer Macintosh systems use processors developed and manufactured primarily by:
a. IBM b. Motorola c. Intel d. AMD
Most PCs and Macintoshes use processors of what size?
a.128-bits b. 64-bits c. 32-bits d. 16-bits
Some embedded and special-purpose computer still use processors of what size?
a. 64-bits .c. 16-bits c. 8-bits d. Both cand d
The term primary Storage is used to refer to:
a. Memory b.Таре c. Disk d. Both a and c
The most common type of primary storage to:
a. ROM b. EPROM c. RAM d. DOS
The acronym RAM stands for:
a. Readily available memory
b. read and more memory
c. Random access memory
d. remember all memory
An inherent characteristic of RAM is that it is:
a. Read only b. Writes only c. Nonvolatile d. Volatik
The acronym ROM stands for
a. Recursive online memory
b. Rapid online memory
c. Random only memory
d. None of above
An inherent characteristic of ROM is that it is:
a. Read only c. Volatile d. Nonvolatile d. Both band d
The difference between ROM and RAM is a:
a. ROM chips are larger
b. ROM is nonvolatile
c. ROM is read only
d. both cand d are correct
The type of memory used to store the date and calendar in a PC is called:
a. MODS b. RAM c. ROM d. CMOS
Nonvolatile RAM used in cell phones and pagers is stored in what kind of memory chips?
a. Zip b. Flash c. Laser d. Synchronized
For Macintosh computers, CMOS RAM is called:
a. Parameter RAM. b. Flash memory c. EPROM d. PROM
One big reason flash memory is NOT used as primary storage in personal computers is its:
a. Limited availability b. Inability to be written to c. Size d. cost
Access time for most memory is __ than access time for disk.
a. Bigger b. Longer C. Słower d. Faster
Access time for most memory is measured in:
a. Microseconds . b. Milliseconds c. Nanoseconds d. Megahertz
32-bit bus is ___than a 16-bit bus
a. Wider b. Longer c. Faster. d. Both a and c
Cards or boards used to connect additional devices to computer are connected to
motherboard via:
a. Expansion slots b. Links c. Bays d. Cornectors
A port on the computer may be connected to:
a. Expansion card b. CPU c. Motherboard d. Both a and b
Users can customize their computers by inserting special-purpose circuit boards into :
a. Ports b. Houses c. Slots d. PC cards
The external devices that are connected to a computer system are known as:
a. Expansion card b. Peripherals c. Buses d. Slots
How many separate on/off switches would be required in order to represent all the possible characters of the ASCII character code?
a. 10 b. 256 c. 8 d. 64
How many separate on/off switches would be required in order to represent all the possible
characters of the Unicode character code?
a. 10 b. 256 c. 8 d. 16
The EBCIDIC representation of the word hello takes:
a. 5 bytes b. 256 bits. c. 5 bits. d. 10 words.
The Unicode representation of the word hello takes:
a. 5 bytes. b. 256 bits. c. 5 bits d. 10 bytes
The smallest unit of information in the computer is a:
a. Character b. word c. bit d. byte
A bit can represent how many different values?
a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3
The meaning of the value of a bit is:
a. on or off b. one or zero c. yes or n d. all of the above
A binary message can be sent using:
a. One bit b. two bits c. Three bits d. four bits
A byte is _ bit(s)
a. 1 b. 2 c.4 d. 8
The most widely used code for representing characters in computers.is:
a. ASCI b. BCD c. EBCDIC. d. ASCHI
The ASCII coding system can provide _ different representations.
a. 2 b.4. c. 16 d. 256
A group of bits can represent
a. Characters b. colors c. Sounds d. all of the above
Combinations of bits are used to represent:
a. Data. b. The CPU. c. Programs. d. Both a and care correct
Fill in the Blanks
- ______component of the CPU is responsible for interacting with primary memory. Control unit
- ______ component of the CPU is responsible for comparing the contents of two pieces of data. ALU
- ______ operator is used to tests for equality or inequality of two data values. Relational
- A true/false value is the result of a ______ operation. Logical
- During a calculation, the data that is input into the ALU resides in temporary storage locations called ______. Registers
- The______involves the following steps: fetching, decoding, executing, and storing. Machine cycle
- The ______contains all the machine commands that a CPU can understand and perform. Instruction set
- The purpose of the ______ is to synchronize the computer operations of the CPU and RAM. System clock
- The control unit knows where to look in memory for data or instruction because each data item in memory is identified by a specific ______. Address
- A ______consists of eight bits. Byte
- The word gigahertz means a billion machine ______. Cycles
- Each character in a Unicode representation takes two ______ of storage space. Bytes
- A transistor represents a single ______ of data. Bit
- ______storage is lost when the electrical current is turned off. Volatile
- ______ RAM utilizes battery power to retain information while the computer is shut off. CMOS
- SRAM technology is used mostly for L2 ______ memory. Cache
- The term ______ refers to the number of bits that can be transmitted from memory to the CPU in one fetch. Bus width
- The system bus width is normally the same as a CPU’s ______. Word size
- Interface cards are connected to peripheral devices via ______. Expansion slots (or ports)
- ______cache is contained within the CPU. Expansion slots
- ______technology minimizes the number of CPU instructions in a system’s instruction set. RISC
- ______provides the ability for one instruction to execute while the next is being fetched. Pipelining
- The chips of a computer are located on the ______. Motherboard
- A ______is a set of electronic paths that transfer electrical signals between different chips. bus
- A ______port transmits one bit at a time. Serial
- A ______port transmits multiple bits at a time. Parallel
True / False
- The circuit board on which the processor and other chips are placed is called the master board. F
- The CPU is a peripheral device. F
- Software written for a Macintosh computer will run on an IBM-compatible computer. F
- Backward compatible means that older processors can process instructions handled by newer processors. F
- Clock speed and architecture both contribute to how fast a computer can process. T
- Clock speed is measured in megahertz. T
- Word size is the number of bits a computer can process at one time. T
- The arithmetic logic unit takes the instruction read by the prefetcher and translates it into a form suitable for the CPU’s internal processing. F
- Execution of instructions is performed by the arithmetic logic unit (ALU). T
- CISC is using a smaller instruction set to achieve faster processing. F
- A series of processors that are compatible are called CISC. F
- Research has shown that RISC processors are slower and less efficient than CISC processors. F
- Reduced instruction set computing system uses fewer instructions to achieve faster processing. T
- RISC is using parallel processing with the inherent risk that it will fail. F
- One acceptable way of increasing computer processing speed is to use multiple processors. T
- The most common type of primary storage is ROM. F
- The most common type of primary storage is RAM. T
- ROM contains start-up instructions. T
- Volatile memory permanently stores information. F
- The type of memory used to store the date and calendar is ROM. F
- RAM is generally nonvolatile. F
- ROM is nonvolatile. T
- CMOS is used to store commonly used programs. F
- Information travels between components on a bus. T
- A port may be connected to the motherboard. T
- Flash memory is used in cell phones and pagers. T
- Access time for memory is generally faster than access time for disk. T
- A PC card is credit card sized and may contain memory or miniature peripherals. T
