All posts by Mr Stratton

Computing teacher and a PT at Coltness High School.
1. Computer Systems, Computing Higher, Homework

Homework for 14th Dec

  1. State the purpose of registers in a microprocessor. (1)
  2. Describe the purpose of two signals found on the control bus. (2)
  3. An IT manager believes that a Pegasus computer with a 700MHz processor is faster than a Hercules computer with a 650MHz processor. Suggest two reasons why he may be incorrect. (2)
  4. What is the purpose of a control unit in a CPU? (1)
  5. If a processor needs an instruction from memory, a read operation is carried out. Describe the steps of the memory read operation with reference to the processor, memory and buses. (4)
  6. Processor clock speed is one factor which affects system performance. Name one other factor and describe how it affects system performance. (2)
  7. Calculate the maximum amount of addressable memory that a processor with 24-bit address bus and 16-bit data bus could access. Express your answer in the appropriate units, (3)

Out of 15 – Some of the questions may be difficult but we did touch on them in class and will cover them fully on Wednesday. Blame the wind.

1. Computer Systems, Computing Higher

Cache Memory

Today’s lesson was a bit of a race, it covered Cache memory, SRAM & DRAM.

Its important that you remember that Cache Memory is not the same as Internet Cache. If you can’t get your head around how me running back and forth to the filing cabinet was caching then have a look here.

As a by the way, we also learned today that a memory location can hold more that one bit. I wonder if that will be useful in the future?

Computing Higher, Revision

Older Posts

Remember that the blog is now in its second year and some of the older posts may be very useful to you. A lot of them were written by pupils who were trying to understand the topic while they wrote it.

Browse back or use the search at the side.

There are currently 31 posts tagged with computer systems.

1. Computer Systems, 2. Software Development, Homework, Revision

School closure

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Well the wind has picked up and we are off school. To prepare for tomorrow’s lesson you can read over the scholar section on computer structure we are working through. Remember, I have a useful report section that allows me to check who has read this and who has not.

You can also head over to revise computing and try their resources.

Finally, there are a few of you still to hand in this weeks programming homework, so you could finish that off.

Plenty to keep you busy and out of the weather, stay safe and I’ll see you tomorrow.

1. Computer Systems, Computing Higher

The Fetch Execute Cycle

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The Fetch Execute cycle (Memory read instruction)

  1. The memory address of the next instruction is placed on the address bus
  2. A read signal is activated on the read line
  3. The data stored at the memory address is placed on the data bus
  4. The processor interprets the instruction
  5. The processor executes the instruction

The Fetch Execute cycle (Memory write instruction)

  1. The required memory address is put in the Memory Address Register
  2. The value to be written is put into the Memory Data Register
  3. The control unit activates the Write Line.
  4. The contents of the Memory Data Register are transferred by the data bus to the required memory address.