Computer Architecture — GK Questions with Answers

1. What is called the backbone on which a successful computer system is built?
   1. Computer architecture
   2. Computer model
   3. Computer instructions
   4. None of these
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   Answer: (A) Computer architecture

   Architecture decides the structure of the system.

2. Which box, made of metal or plastic, houses every physical part of the computer?
   1. CPU
   2. System unit
   3. Mainframe
   4. Microprocessor
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   Answer: (B) System unit

   The CPU is a chip inside; the whole box is the system unit.

3. What is a basic function of a computer?
   1. Only data processing
   2. Only data storage
   3. Only data movement
   4. All of these
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   Answer: (D) All of these

   Processing, storage, movement and control are all basic functions.

4. Into what form does the input unit convert data?
   1. Unacceptable
   2. Acceptable to the computer
   3. Direct output
   4. Only pictures
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   Answer: (B) Acceptable to the computer

   The input unit converts data into a form the computer accepts.

5. Which unit hands the finished output to the user?
   1. Input
   2. Memory
   3. Output
   4. CPU
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   Answer: (C) Output

   The output unit changes coded results into human form and delivers them.

6. Which of plotter, printer and monitor are output devices?
   1. Only the printer
   2. Only the monitor
   3. Only the plotter
   4. All three
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   Answer: (D) All three

   All three show or print results.

7. What is called the brain of the computer?
   1. Keyboard
   2. Mouse
   3. CPU
   4. Printer
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   Answer: (C) CPU

   The CPU controls all devices and does the calculations.

8. Which are the two smaller components of the CPU?
   1. ALU and CU
   2. ALU and RAM
   3. RAM and ROM
   4. RAM and CU
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   Answer: (A) ALU and CU

   CPU = ALU + CU (with registers).

9. Expand the abbreviation ALU.
   1. Application and Logic Unit
   2. Arithmetic Logic Unit
   3. Algorithm Logic Unit
   4. Arithmetic Legal Unit
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   Answer: (B) Arithmetic Logic Unit

   ALU = Arithmetic Logic Unit.

10. How many kinds of arithmetic operations does the ALU perform?
    1. 2
    2. 4
    3. 5
    4. 8
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    Answer: (B) 4

    Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division — four.

11. Which part does comparison such as “<, =, >”?
    1. CU
    2. ALU
    3. Input unit
    4. Memory unit
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    Answer: (B) ALU

    Comparison is an ALU operation.

12. Which part executes the computer commands?
    1. Arithmetic unit only
    2. Logic unit only
    3. Both
    4. Control unit
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    Answer: (D) Control unit

    Running the commands is the CU’s job.

13. What is the CPU’s internal memory really?
    1. A set of registers
    2. A set of ALUs
    3. Bus
    4. Microprocessor
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    Answer: (A) A set of registers

    Registers are the fastest memory inside the CPU.

14. Which CPU register holds the intermediate results?
    1. Buffer
    2. Accumulator
    3. Socket
    4. Clock
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    Answer: (B) Accumulator

    The accumulator holds intermediate arithmetic and logical results.

15. By generating which signals does the CU control the other units?
    1. Control signals
    2. Timing signals
    3. Transfer signals
    4. Transfer commands
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    Answer: (A) Control signals

    The CU produces control signals.

16. What is the control unit of a digital computer often called?
    1. Clock
    2. Nerve centre
    3. Both clock and nerve centre
    4. IC
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    Answer: (B) Nerve centre

    The CU directs the whole computer like a nerve centre.

17. Who made the first microprocessor?
    1. Vint Cerf
    2. Terence Percival
    3. John Mauchly
    4. Ted Hoff
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    Answer: (D) Ted Hoff

    The Intel 4004 (1971) is the work of Ted Hoff and Federico Faggin.

18. A microprocessor is made of millions of what?
    1. Registers
    2. Transistors
    3. Microchips
    4. Program counters
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    Answer: (B) Transistors

    An IC carries millions of transistors.

19. Which language does the microprocessor understand directly?
    1. Only machine language
    2. Both machine and high-level
    3. Only high-level
    4. None
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    Answer: (A) Only machine language

    0s and 1s are its language.

20. Which memory talks directly to the CPU?
    1. Main memory
    2. Secondary memory
    3. Auxiliary memory
    4. Hard disk
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    Answer: (A) Main memory

    The CPU takes its data and instructions from main memory.

21. What is the main circuit board of a computer called?
    1. Daughterboard
    2. Motherboard
    3. Broadboard
    4. Father board
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    Answer: (B) Motherboard

    All parts attach to the motherboard.

22. What are the connecting points for chips on the motherboard called?
    1. Slots
    2. Sockets
    3. Ports
    4. Lines
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    Answer: (B) Sockets

    A chip sits in a socket.

23. The communication line between the CPU, memory and peripherals?
    1. Line
    2. Bus
    3. Media
    4. Port
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    Answer: (B) Bus

    The group of wires is called a bus.

24. Which bus carries the address of an I/O device or memory?
    1. Data bus
    2. Expansion bus
    3. Address bus
    4. System bus
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    Answer: (C) Address bus

    The address bus carries the “where”.

25. Which bus contains the read/write line?
    1. Data bus
    2. Control bus
    3. Address bus
    4. CPU bus
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    Answer: (B) Control bus

    The read/write command runs on the control bus.

26. Which bus connects the external devices to the rest of the computer?
    1. Address bus
    2. Data bus
    3. Control bus
    4. External (expansion) bus
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    Answer: (D) External (expansion) bus

    The external bus is also called the expansion bus.

27. The correct order of the steps in the instruction cycle?
    1. Execute, Fetch, Decode, Store
    2. Fetch, Decode, Execute, Store
    3. Decode, Fetch, Store, Execute
    4. Store, Fetch, Execute, Decode
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    Answer: (B) Fetch, Decode, Execute, Store

    First bring, then understand, then run, then keep.

28. Which part of an instruction gives the details of what the action works on?
    1. Op-code
    2. Operand
    3. The whole instruction
    4. Data bus
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    Answer: (B) Operand

    The op-code names the action; the operand gives its parameters.

29. Pipelining is called implementing what?
    1. Instruction execution
    2. Instruction prefetch
    3. Instruction decoding
    4. Instruction manipulation
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    Answer: (B) Instruction prefetch

    Keeping several instructions ready together = prefetch.

30. Which device gives the computer battery backup when the power fails?
    1. Surge strip
    2. UPS
    3. USB
    4. Battery strip
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    Answer: (B) UPS

    A UPS gives battery backup along with surge protection.

31. What does DMA stand for?
    1. Direct Memory Access
    2. Dynamic Memory Access
    3. Direct Metho Access
    4. Double Memory Access
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    Answer: (A) Direct Memory Access

    In DMA the I/O device skips the CPU and uses memory directly.

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