Operating Systems Computer Architecture
Page 1 of 8
OSCA
SECTION A
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The hardware components of a system refer to.
a) Provides the physical mechanism to process data into information
b) Provides the physical mechanism to get data into the system
c) Comprises all the physical components; those that you can touch
d) Parts of the computer inside the box
2. The CPU, Memory, I/O interface and ____________, form the hardware part of the
system
a) all input and output devices
b) the motherboard
c) peripheral devices
d) storage devices
3. The ____________ component controls the arithmetic and Boolean logical
calculations.
a) CPU
b) ALU
c) CU
d) RAM
4. The ____________component controls the processing of instructions and the
movement of internal central processing unit data
a) CPU
b) ALU
c) CU
d) RAM
5. The ______________ component consists of hardware and software to transport
programs and data from one interconnected computers
a) CPU
b) ALU
c) CU
d) RAM
e) communications
6. Which of the following devices is NOT an OUTPUT device?
a) the CPU
b) the monitor
c) the printer
d) the speaker
7. Which of the following devices is NOT an INPUT device?
a) the floppy disk
b) the monitor
c) the communication interface
d) the hard disk
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8. Which of the following is NOT an input and output device:
a) the floppy disk
b) the tape drive
c) the communication interface
d) the hard disk
9. What is NOT another name for the computers temporary storage?
a) RAM
b) Main storage
c) principle memory
d) Main memory
10. The typical unit of measure for temporary storage is
a) bits
b) Mhz
c) MB
d) GHz
11. The prefix 'K' means _________ and has the value ___________
a) Mega, 1,000,000
b) Kilo, 1,024
c) Kilo, 1,000
d) Kilo, 1024x1024
12. The abbreviation 'MB' means _________ and has the value ___________
a) MegaBits, 1,024x1024
b) MegaBytes, 1,024x1,000
c) Mega Bits, 1,000,000
d) Mega Bytes, 1,024x1024
13. Program instructions
a) are run directly by the CPU
b) are translated into machine readable code before executed by the CPU
c) are typically coded by programmers to run in the CPU
d) are decoded by the ALU first, then run by the CPU
14. The stored program concept is
a) is a new idea, developed by for use in today's modern computers
b) is an old idea but still in use today
c) developed by George Boole
d) a consequence of the old punch card input device
15. Storing data and instructions in Main Memory is
a) known as the Englander Idea
b) an International Standard developed from the US Military
c) known as the stored program concept
d) Primarily designed for use on personal Computers
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16. The Operating System is
a) a combination of HW and SW to run operating programs
b) the software that manages your files, memory, loads and executes
programs
c) the collection of HW and SW that runs the API
d) consists of file services and data communications
e) none of the above
17. The part of the operating system that interfaces with the API, file system, networking
and I/O is known as:
a) the kernel module
b) the primary OS component
c) the Hardware OS component
d) the Application OS component
18. For computers to communicate with each other they need
a) the communications kernel
b) Internet Connection
c) a modem and or NIC card
d) both hardware and software communication components
19. A NIC card
a) establishes a protocol with International Communication Standards
b) provides the hardware and software communication components
c) interfaces the computer and communications channel
d) used to connect computers at long distances
20. What is the biggest difference between large computer systems and smaller personal
computers system.
a) speed of the CPU, size of the memory and number of users that can
connect
b) differences in the architecture
c) differences in the organization
d) there is no difference
21. Distributed computing has to do with
a) size and locations of the computers that are distributed
b) comparing the capabilities of the computers that are distributed
c) placing computers over a wide geographic area
d) allowing different computers to perform processing for a common task
22. Most of the persons contributing to the development of modern computers had a
background in
a) mathematics
b) computer science specialists
c) electronics
d) Boolean logic
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23. John von Neumann proposed the ___________ concept
a) central processing unit
b) arithmetic unit
c) punch card
d) stored program
24. The computer that was credited for being the first all electronic digital computer was
the
a) ENIAC
b) ENIAC I
c) IAS
d) TCPIP
25. Which of the following statements is FALSE?
a) Each byte of main memory has a unique address.
b) Main memory consists of a very long list of bytes.
c) Each memory location can store any number of bits.
d) Memory addresses are positive integers starting at zero.
26. What are the two fundamental things the processor can do to a byte of main memory?
a) It can write 8 bits to a byte in memory, and it can read 8 bits from a byte
in memory.
b) It can erase a byte in main memory, and it can read a byte of main memory.
c) It can add the value from main memory to a sum, and it can print the value on
the monitor.
d) It can write the byte to secondary storage and it can read the byte from
secondary storage.
27. When a new CPU chip comes on the market and it is able to process all software and
data that previous CPU’s could process, it is known as:
a) backward compatibility.
b) forward compliance.
c) backward compliance.
d) backward usability.
28. The two primary companies that manufacturer PC CPU chips are:
a) Tektronix and Intel.
b) Intel and AMD.
c) IBM and Compaq.
d) Intel and Microsoft.
29. The type of printer that produces the highest quality of text and graphics is a:
a) laser printer.
b) line printer.
c) dot-matrix printer.
d) ink-jet printer.
30. A ____________ is one of the few devices that accesses data sequentially.
a) floppy disk
b) magnetic tape
c) DVD
d) CD-ROM
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31. ____________ allow additional drives to be added to a computer system.
a) Expansion cards
b) Bays
c) Ports
d) Expansion slots
32. Universal serial bus, USB, is a great alternative to older buses since it allows a user
to:
a) add more RAM.
b) install software more efficiently and quickly.
c) add a second mouse since a USB is a serial port.
d) add hardware devices easily without opening the computer
33. Hot swap means:
a) powering down a computer without closing all programs first.
b) changing floppy disks or CDs without first allowing the previous disk to stop
spinning.
c) hardware devices can be removed and replaced without powering down.
d) when a user switching among many open software windows quickly and
efficiently.
34. The typical computer user will benefit from understanding the computer system
operation in the following way:
a) improved word processing
b) intelligently buy large systems
c) use the machine more effectively
d) maximize the efficiency of the system
35. Programmers will benefit from understanding the computer system operation in the
following way:
a) communicate with system managers
b) handle network communication more effectively
c) use the characteristics of the machine to write better programs
d) use the CPU more efficiently
36. System Analysts will benefit from understanding the computer system operation in
the following way:
a) specify and purchase a system intelligently
b) analyze systems problems
c) generate informative reports
d) use the characteristics of the machine to write better programs
37. System Administrators will benefit from understanding the computer system
operation in the following way:
a) make recommendations to maximize system performance
b) specify and purchase a system intelligently
c) communicate with system managers
d) use the characteristics of the machine to write better programs
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38. Being aware of technological change
a) enhances your understanding the computer system operation
b) enables you to make better decisions
c) is fundamental to being competent and successful in the computer field
d) allows you to increase your skills effectively
39. From the user's point of view, the purpose of the computer is to
a) perform useful work
b) make reports and spreadsheets
c) make documents in a word processor
d) gain access to the internet
40. When you purchase a product at a store that uses an on-line credit purchasing system,
your account information is
a) kept on file at the store where you made the purchase
b) stored in a temporary database
c) stored permanently on one or more hard drives
d) private and can not be transmitted across a communications link
41. The processing that takes place when you purchase a product at a store that uses an
on-line credit purchasing system includes:
a) uses built-in rules to detect obvious errors
b) verifies the cost of the product
c) adds commissions to the sales staff
d) checks the store inventory
42. The types of operations computers can perform can be best stated:
a) simple calculations, sorting, comparisons and simple decisions repetitively
b) complex calculations, sorting, comparisons, simple decisions repetitively
c) addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and comparisons
d) recursive, simple arithmetic and logic operations
43. Object modeling, used in programming, is a
a) generates objects that are easier to work with
b) new idea that forces users of the programs to learn new skills
c) new idea that associates actions (procedures) on an entity (object)
d) futuristic idea only recently being developed
44. What is not a basic operation that is performed during Data Processing:
a) Input/Output
b) Basic arithmetic and logical operations
c) communicate with users
d) Data storage and retrieval
45. Primitive processing operations
a) are performed during Data Processing
b) used to add subtract multiply and divide
c) common to all high-level programming languages
d) uscommon to all low-level programming languages
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Operating Systems Computer Architecture
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SECTION B
Exercises
46. Match the following terms to their meanings
RAM (E) A. stores the computer date & time
CMOS (A) B. small memory space by the CPU to eliminate bottlenecks in
processing
DIMM (F) C. contains start up instructions
ROM (C) D. 32 or 64 bit space included with the ALU
register (D) E. volatile memory
cache (B) F. board with RAM
serial port (K) G. a port used more in the past than the present for scanners and
external drives
parallel port (H) H. until more recently, when USB ports are used, a printer was
always hooked to this
USB (I) I. a flash memory keychain device can be hooked into this
SCSI (G) J. monitor plug-in
video port (J) K. a mouse uses this
47. Write the name of the item in Column B which best matches each of the descriptions
in Column A.
Column A Column B
1. Alternative pointing device to a keyboard; used primarily for Joystick
games and computer-aided designs
2. In computer-aided graphics, a peripheral device used with a
pointing device to convert graphics into data that a computer Digitizing tablet
can process
3. Input device that uses a light-sensitive stylus to draw on-
Light pen
screen or on a graphics tablet, or to select items from a menu
4. Input device, similar to the mouse, that moves the mouse Trackball/Track
pointer on-screen, frequently attached to or built into the point
keyboard
5. Palm-size input device with a ball built into the bottom; used Mouse
to move a pointer to draw, select options from a menu, modify
or move text, and issue commands
6. Pen-shaped instrument used to select menu options on a
Stylus
monitor screen or to draw line art on a graphics tablet
7. Small, handheld computer that accepts input written on-screen PDA
with a stylus; designed to keep phone directories and
calendars and to provide calculating capabilities
48. Write best matches each of the descriptions in below.
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a) A(n) _______________ is a collection of microscopic circuit elements such as
wires, transistors, capacitors, and resistors packed onto a very small square of
silicon.
b) The smallest unit of information in a computer is a(n) ____________.
c) A Series of eight bits is referred to as a(n) ___________.
d) Most microcomputers use the ___________ code to represent character data.
e) The ___________ number system represents numeric data as a series of Os and
1s.
f) A(n) _____________ is an electronic pathway that links the chips on the
motherboard of a computer.
Answer
a) Integrated circuit or IC
b) Bit
c) Byte
d) ASCII
e) Binary
f) Bus or data bus.
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