Computer Systems questions

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Computer Systems question collection

Review Computer Systems questions for Computer Science, with correct answers shown and coverage across CPU components and fetch-execute cycle; memory and storage; hardware and software.

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Question 1

What does CPU stand for?
  1. Central Processing Unit
  2. Central Program Unit
  3. Computer Processing Utility
  4. Core Processing Unit

Question 2

Which CPU part controls instruction flow?
  1. Control Unit
  2. Arithmetic Logic Unit
  3. Cache
  4. Register file

Question 3

Which CPU part performs calculations and logic tests?
  1. ALU
  2. Control Unit
  3. ROM
  4. Bus

Question 4

Which description matches cache memory?
  1. Small, fast CPU memory
  2. Large, volatile main memory
  3. Permanent, read-only startup memory
  4. Long-term magnetic file storage

Question 5

Which description matches CPU registers?
  1. Tiny, ultra-fast CPU storage
  2. Large, volatile main memory
  3. Permanent, read-only startup memory
  4. Long-term external file storage

Question 6

What unit is CPU clock speed usually measured in?
  1. GHz
  2. GB
  3. ms
  4. dpi

Question 7

What does clock speed measure?
  1. Cycles per second
  2. Programs installed
  3. Bytes in RAM
  4. Cores on a chip

Question 8

What is a CPU core?
  1. An independent processing unit
  2. A temporary storage register
  3. A small block of cache memory
  4. A path carrying data signals

Question 9

What can a dual-core CPU do better than a single-core CPU?
  1. Process more tasks at the same time
  2. Run each core at twice the clock speed
  3. Store twice as much data in RAM
  4. Fetch every instruction in one clock cycle

Question 10

What does FDE stand for?
  1. Fetch, Decode, Execute
  2. Fetch, Delete, Execute
  3. Find, Decode, Execute
  4. Fetch, Decode, Exit

Question 11

What is RAM?
  1. Volatile memory
  2. Optical storage
  3. Non-volatile firmware memory
  4. External backup media

Question 12

What is ROM?
  1. Non-volatile memory
  2. Temporary memory
  3. A type of CPU cache
  4. A cloud storage service

Question 13

What does virtual memory use?
  1. Secondary storage as extra RAM
  2. ROM as extra cache
  3. GPU memory as hard drive space
  4. Cloud storage as BIOS memory

Question 14

Compared with an HDD, what is usually true of an SSD?
  1. Faster
  2. Slower
  3. More fragile to shock
  4. Louder in operation

Question 15

Which is optical storage?
  1. DVD
  2. SSD
  3. USB flash drive
  4. Magnetic tape

Question 16

Which is magnetic storage?
  1. Hard disk drive
  2. DVD-ROM
  3. SD card
  4. Blu-ray disc

Question 17

Which is solid-state storage?
  1. USB flash drive
  2. CD-ROM
  3. Hard disk drive
  4. Magnetic tape reel

Question 18

What is an embedded system?
  1. A computer built into a larger device
  2. A general-purpose computer for many applications
  3. A remote computer providing network services
  4. A virtual computer running in software

Question 19

Why is secondary storage needed?
  1. To keep data when power is off
  2. To increase the CPU clock speed
  3. To execute instructions in the ALU
  4. To hold the next instruction address

Question 20

Which is utility software?
  1. Antivirus
  2. Spreadsheet
  3. Web browser quiz
  4. Presentation editor

Question 21

What is an interrupt?
  1. A signal requesting CPU attention
  2. A pulse setting the CPU clock rate
  3. An address stored in the program counter
  4. An instruction held in the memory register

Question 22

What problem can virtual memory help with?
  1. Running out of RAM
  2. Low internet bandwidth
  3. A dead CMOS battery
  4. Insufficient CPU cores

Question 23

What does the program counter hold?
  1. The address of the next instruction
  2. The instruction currently being decoded
  3. The result of the latest calculation
  4. The data moving to secondary storage

Question 24

What does the accumulator store?
  1. Intermediate results from the ALU
  2. The address of the next instruction
  3. The instruction currently being decoded
  4. Files waiting for secondary storage

Question 25

What happens in the fetch stage?
  1. An instruction is retrieved from memory
  2. An instruction is interpreted by the control unit
  3. An operation is carried out by the CPU
  4. A result is written back to a register

Question 26

Why can cache improve CPU performance?
  1. Frequently used data reaches the CPU faster
  2. The CPU clock frequency automatically increases
  3. Each processor core gains more registers
  4. Instructions become permanently stored

Question 27

Why can virtual memory slow a computer?
  1. Secondary storage is slower than RAM
  2. ROM is slower than secondary storage
  3. Cache is disabled while RAM is full
  4. The CPU loses one core when it is used

Question 28

Why can adding RAM improve performance?
  1. Hold more active programs and data
  2. Increase the CPU clock frequency
  3. Make secondary storage non-volatile
  4. Add another processing core

Question 29

What is embedded software?
  1. Software controlling a dedicated device
  2. A word processor on a laptop
  3. A database query
  4. A web browser extension

Question 30

What does a device driver do?
  1. Lets the operating system communicate with hardware
  2. Protects the computer from malicious software
  3. Allocates CPU time to running processes
  4. Translates high-level source code into machine code

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Review Computer Systems questions for Computer Science, with correct answers shown and coverage across CPU components and fetch-execute cycle; memory and storage; hardware and software.

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