INSTRUCTIONS:
Answer Question One and any other TWO questions
QUESTION ONE (COMPULSORY) (30MKS)
- a) Define the following terms as used in computer organization (5 marks) (i) Bus
(ii) Utility software
(iii) Radix (iv) RISC (v) CISC
- b) Distinguish between the following concepts (8 marks)
(i) Machine language and computer program
(ii) RAM and cache
(iii) Sequential and random access
(iv) Byte and word
- c) Using a suitable diagram explain how data moves between CPU and memory when being fetched (4 marks)
- d) Convert 11100101100 into:
(i) Octal (1 mark) (ii) Hexadecimal (1 mark)
- e) Convert 27 and 64 into:
(i) Binary (2 marks) (ii) Octal (2 marks)
- f) Using three examples explain the relevance of a bus system in a computer (7 marks)
QUESTION TWO (20MKS)
- a) Describe the levels that provide the internal structure of a computer system. (10 marks)
- b) Logic gates are used to implement ‘logic’ in the flow of signals in a digital circui As a computer designer explain how you would achieve this using gates (10 marks)
QUESTION THREE (20MKS)
- a) Using a suitable illustration describe the organization of the four major components of a modern computer system (8 marks)
- b) Instructions in a computer have operands which have to be accessed from memor Analyze four ways in which addressing aids in this (8 marks)
- c) Explain the internal structure of a magnetic disk (4 marks)
QUESTION FOUR (20MKS)
- a) Describe the features of a Von Neumann architecture clearly illustrating your answer
(8 marks) b) Explain the significance of instruction set implementation in a computer system 4 marks) c) Classify computers according to their characteristics giving examples of computers in each
class (8 marks)
