Question 1

What is a type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out most computations directly?
A)megahertz
B)gigahertz
C)CISC
D)RISC

Accepted Answer

Complex instruction set computer (CISC) chips are a type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out most computations directly.

Question 2

What refers to a device's ability to function with or without power?
A)RAM
B)ROM
C)volatility
D)flash memory

Accepted Answer

Volatility refers to a device's ability to function with or without power.RAM is volatile, meaning it must have constant power to function; its contents are lost when the computer's electric supply fails.

Question 3

What is a complex instruction set computer chip?
A)The actual hardware that interprets and executes the program (software) instructions and coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together.
B)Interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware devices what to do, based on the software instructions.
C)A type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out most computations directly.
D)Performs all arithmetic operations (for example, addition and subtraction) and all logic operations (such as sorting and comparing numbers).

Accepted Answer

A complex instruction set computer chip is a type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out most computations directly.

Question 4

What interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware devices what to do, based on the software instructions?
A)CPU
B)control unit
C)ALU
D)primary storage

Accepted Answer

The control unit interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware devices what to do, based on the software instructions.

Question 5

What is the number of millions of CPU cycles per second?
A)megahertz
B)gigahertz
C)CISC
D)RISC

Accepted Answer

Megahertz (MHz) is the number of millions of CPU cycles per second.

Question 6

What consists of equipment designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage?
A)primary storage
B)secondary storage
C)a memory stick
D)flash memory

Accepted Answer

Secondary storage consists of equipment designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage.

Question 7

What is a special type of rewritable read-only memory (ROM) that is compact and portable?
A)RAM
B)ROM
C)volatility
D)flash memory

Accepted Answer

Flash memory is a special type of rewritable read-only memory (ROM) that is compact and portable.

Question 8

What is the computer's primary working memory, in which program instructions and data are stored so that they can be accessed directly by the CPU via the processor's high-speed external data bus?
A)RAM
B)ROM
C)volatility
D)flash memory

Accepted Answer

Random access memory (RAM) is the computer's primary working memory, in which program instructions and data are stored so that they can be accessed directly by the CPU via the processor's high-speed external data bus.

Question 9

Which of the following represents megahertz?
A)the number of millions of CPU cycles per second
B)the number of billions of CPU cycles per second
C)a type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out most computations directly
D)a limitation in the number of instructions the CPU can execute to increase processing speed

Accepted Answer

Megahertz is the number of millions of CPU cycles per second.

Question 10

What is the number of bits (0s and 1s) that can be processed by the CPU at any one time?
A)clock speed
B)word length
C)bus width
D)chip line width

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of word length.

Question 11

What performs all arithmetic operations (for example, addition and subtraction) and all logic operations?
A)CPU
B)control unit
C)ALU
D)primary storage

Accepted Answer

The arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) performs all arithmetic operations (for example, addition and subtraction) and all logic operations.

Question 12

What contains high-capacity storage that holds data such as captured images, music, or text files?
A)RAM
B)a memory stick
C)a memory card
D)flash memory

Accepted Answer

Memory cards contain high-capacity storage that holds data such as captured images, music, or text files.

Question 13

What provides nonvolatile memory for a range of portable devices including computers, digital cameras, MP3 players, and PDAs?
A)RAM
B)a memory stick
C)a memory card
D)flash memory

Accepted Answer

Memory sticks provide nonvolatile memory for a range of portable devices including computers, digital cameras, MP3 players, and PDAs.

Question 14

What is the computer's main memory, which consists of the random access memory (RAM), cache memory, and read-only memory (ROM) that is directly accessible to the CPU?
A)CPU
B)control unit
C)secondary storage
D)primary storage

Accepted Answer

Primary storage is the computer's main memory, which consists of the random access memory (RAM), cache memory, and read-only memory (ROM) that is directly accessible to the CPU.

Question 15

What is the size of the internal electrical pathway along which signals are sent from one part of the computer to another?
A)clock speed
B)word length
C)bus width
D)chip line width

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of bus width.

Question 16

What is roughly 1 million bytes?
A)megabyte
B)terabyte
C)kilobyte
D)gigabyte

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of a megabyte.

Question 17

What is the number of billions of CPU cycles per second?
A)megahertz
B)gigahertz
C)CISC
D)RISC

Accepted Answer

Gigahertz (GHz) is the number of billions of CPU cycles per second.

Question 18

What is a small unit of ultra-fast memory that is used to store recently accessed or frequently accessed data so that the CPU does not have to retrieve this data from slower memory circuits such as RAM?
A)RAM
B)cache memory
C)volatility
D)flash memory

Accepted Answer

Cache memory is a small unit of ultra-fast memory that is used to store recently accessed or frequently accessed data so that the CPU does not have to retrieve this data from slower memory circuits such as RAM.

Question 19

What limits the number of instructions the CPU can execute to increase processing speed?
A)megahertz
B)gigahertz
C)CISC
D)RISC

Accepted Answer

Reduced instruction set computer (RISC) chips limit the number of instructions the CPU can execute to increase processing speed.

Question 20

What is the portion of a computer's primary storage that does not lose its contents when one switches off the power?
A)RAM
B)ROM
C)volatility
D)flash memory

Accepted Answer

Read-only memory (ROM) is the portion of a computer's primary storage that does not lose its contents when one switches off the power.

Quiz 10: Hardware and Software Basics

What is a type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out most computations directly?

What refers to a device's ability to function with or without power?

What is a complex instruction set computer chip?

What interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware devices what to do, based on the software instructions?

What is the number of millions of CPU cycles per second?

What consists of equipment designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage?

What is a special type of rewritable read-only memory (ROM) that is compact and portable?

What is the computer's primary working memory, in which program instructions and data are stored so that they can be accessed directly by the CPU via the processor's high-speed external data bus?

Which of the following represents megahertz?

What is the number of bits (0s and 1s) that can be processed by the CPU at any one time?

What performs all arithmetic operations (for example, addition and subtraction) and all logic operations?

What contains high-capacity storage that holds data such as captured images, music, or text files?

What provides nonvolatile memory for a range of portable devices including computers, digital cameras, MP3 players, and PDAs?

What is the computer's main memory, which consists of the random access memory (RAM) , cache memory, and read-only memory (ROM) that is directly accessible to the CPU?

What is the size of the internal electrical pathway along which signals are sent from one part of the computer to another?

What is roughly 1 million bytes?

What is the number of billions of CPU cycles per second?

What is a small unit of ultra-fast memory that is used to store recently accessed or frequently accessed data so that the CPU does not have to retrieve this data from slower memory circuits such as RAM?

What limits the number of instructions the CPU can execute to increase processing speed?

What is the portion of a computer's primary storage that does not lose its contents when one switches off the power?