chapter 1.… · web viewcomputer systems. multiple choice questions. 1. the first large-scale...

Chapter 2 Managing Information Technology 1

Chapter 2Computer Systems

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The first large-scale electronic computer was named the: a. DEC.b. ENIAC.c. PC.d. Sperry Rand Univac.

Answer: b Reference: p. 22

2. The third generation of computers incorporated all of the following technologies, except:

a. integrated circuitsb. semiconductor memoriesc. magnetic core memoriesd. operating system

Answer: c Reference: p. 23

3. The major technological breakthrough leading to the introduction of microcomputers was the development of:

a. microprocessorsb. LSI circuitsc. VLSI circuitsd. semiconductor memories

Answer: a Reference: p. 23

4. Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and Hewlett-Packard are firms often associated with the introduction of computers aimed at smaller businesses and scientific applications. This type of computer is known as a:

a. mainframe.b. minicomputer.c. microcomputer.d. PDA.


Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall

2 Managing the Information Technology Resource

5. All of the following refer to the same type of computer, except:

a. minicomputer.b. microcomputer.c. personal computer.d. PC.


6. Today, the overwhelming world leader in microprocessor sales is:

a. IBM.b. Intel.c. AMD.d. Sun Microsystems.


7. Which of the following two building blocks of a computer comprise the central processing unit (CPU)?

a. Memory and filesb. Memory and arithmetic/logical unitc. Control unit and arithmetic/logical unitd. Control unit and files


8. All microcomputers are made up of the same basic components, some of which include:

a. bytes, input, and output.b. input, memory, and DASD controller.c. communication bus, memory, and modem.d. output, memory, and arithmetic/logical unit.

Answer: d Reference: p. 24

9. Which of the following is not an example of a computer output device?

a. Printerb. Voice response unitc. COM recorderd. Imaging




10. Which method of input can recognize characters from typed, printed, or handwritten material?

a. OCRb. MICRc. UPCd. COM


11. In computer memory, a cell that can store two or more characters of data is called a:

a. partition.b. word.c. bit.d. byte.


12. Which of the following is an example of a common bit coding scheme used today?

a. ASCIIb. DASDc. COMd. VLSI


13. The ______ performs basic operations on numbers (e.g., addition, subtraction, and equality comparisons)?

a. control unitb. cache memoryc. arithmetic/logic unitd. RAID


14. Which of the following is not an advantage of secondary storage devices compared to main memory?

a. Low costb. High capacityc. Nonvolatilityd. Fast speed




15. On which type of media are sequential access files typically stored?

a. Flash driveb. REV drivec. Magnetic tape drived. Floppy disk drive


16. DASD refers to:

a. digital-analog signal distortion.b. direct analysis system development. c. direct access storage device.d. delayed access sequential device.


17. Which of the following applications is most likely to use sequential access files?

a. A payroll batch processing applicationb. An airline reservation systemc. A web browserd. An online transaction processing system


18. One example of optical media that can be recorded and erased repeatedly is a:

a. CD-ROM.b. DVD-R.c. CD-RW.d. DVD+R.


19. A list of operations to be performed by the control unit is called:

a. memory.b. a program.c. data.d. a control list.




20. The process of entering a computer program into the memory of a computer is called ______ the program.

a. inputtingb. loadingc. processingd. reading


21. Machine language is the form of a computer program that the control unit of the computer has been built to understand. A machine language instruction consists of which of the following two major components?

a. Bits and bytesb. Sequential and direct access filesc. RISC and data channeld. Operation code and address(es)


22. Each individual step or operation in a program is called a(n):

a. bit.b. word.c. program step.d. instruction.


23. Evaluating how well various machines will handle an organization’s workload by running a representative set of real jobs on the machines is called:

a. compiling.b. caching.c. benchmarking.d. testing.


24. ______ is a commonly used rating of a computer’s speed that is based on the rate at which floating point operations are executed.

a. MFLOPSb. MIPSc. CPUd. MPP




25. The very high-speed, high-cost memory that is used as an intermediary between the control unit and main memory is called the:

a. CPU. b. secondary memory.c. DASDs.d. cache memory.


26. A multiprocessor configuration (multiple CPUs installed as part of a single computer system) in which each processor operates independently of the others, each working on a separate program, is called a:

a. symmetric multiprocessor.b. parallel processor.c. multiprogrammer.d. vector facility.


27. The success of cache memory depends upon two characteristics of the data to be used in the CPU, namely:

a. digital and analog.b. bits and bytes.c. locality of reference and data reuse.d. baud and bandwidth.


28. A ______ system has two complete processors that are manufactured as part of a single chip.

a. dual-processorb. dual-corec. binary-processord. dual-control


29. Which type of computer systems are often used for departmental computing, specific applications such as CAD, or servers in a client/server architecture?

a. Microcomputersb. Workstation/midrange systemsc. Mainframesd. Supercomputers




30. Which type of computer systems are often used for numerically intensive scientific calculations or act as extremely large Web servers?



31. Laptops, handhelds, and tablet PCs are all examples of which type of computer system? a. Microcomputersb. Workstation/midrange systemsc. Mainframesd. Supercomputers


32. Which of the following are described as the heart of the computing systems of most major corporations and government agencies and can handle a wide range of applications?



33. The development of the ______ chip is largely responsible for the success of midrange systems because it can be built smaller and faster than the chips used in mainframe systems.

a. MIPSb. SMPc. DASDd. RISC


34. What is the only microcomputer vendor that is not producing an IBM-compatible PC?

a. Lenovob. Hewlett-Packardc. Delld. Apple




35. ______ servers are housed in a single chassis, as opposed to each having a separate tower, which saves space and improves system management.

a. Bladeb. Sharedc. Minid. Razor


36. Today Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Sun Microsystems, and Fujitsu are the major players in the _______ market.

a. pocket PCb. workstation/midrange systemc. mainframed. supercomputer


37. The smallest microcomputer which also has the ability to make phone calls is often called a:

a. laptop.b. PDA.c. killer PDA.d. tablet PC.


38. Currently, what is the name of the fastest supercomputer in the world?

a. Blue Gene/Lb. Earth Simulatorc. Roadrunnerd. Life Simulator




True/False

39. Microcomputers are systems specifically designed for multiple users.

Answer: False; they are designed for only a single user. Reference: p. 23

40. The CPU is made up of the two components, the control unit and memory.

Answer: False; it is made up of the control unit and the arithmetic/logic unit. Reference: p. 24

41. Bar code labels allow for faster and more accurate input by storing data in the form of symbols that can be scanned by a computer.

Answer: True. Reference: p. 25

42. When data is read from a memory cell, the data is left unchanged.


43. Main memory is the fastest and highest cost type of memory.

Answer: False; cache memory is the fastest and highest cost. Reference: p. 36

44. Parallel processor machines have multiple processors that work independently of each other on different programs.

Answer: False; symmetric multiprocessor systems have multiple independent processors.

Reference: p. 36

45. The stored-program concept allows users to specify a list of operations that can be carried at electronic speeds, rather than waiting for the user to specify each operation separately.




Fill-in the Blanks

46. Computer hardware refers to the physical pieces of a computer system – such as a CPU, printer, and disk drive – that can be touched.

Reference: p. 21-22

47. The newest and smallest form of direct access storage, often used in digital cameras and music players, is referred to as flash memory.

Reference: p. 31

48. A terminal is a simpler device than a PC that is designed strictly for input/output and does not have a processor.

Reference: p. 25

49. Linking together a large number of small, inexpensive hard drives as a substitute for a giant disk drive is called a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID).

Reference: p. 30

50. A memory cell that can store only one character of data is called a byte.

Reference: p. 28

51. The control unit is the key to controlling all of the components in a computer system.

Reference: p. 31

52. A multiprocessor system contains more than one processor.

Reference: p. 36



Essay Questions

53. Describe the basic components (building blocks) of all computer systems.

All computers are made up of the same six basic components: input, output, memory, arithmetic/logical unit, control unit, and files. Input and output allow users to enter data into the computer and retrieve data in a usable form from the computer, respectively. Memory acts as a data storage device for the other system components. The arithmetic/logic unit and control unit together are referred to as the central processing unit (CPU). The arithmetic/logic unit performs basic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and logical operations such as number comparisons. The control unit controls each of the other five components. Finally, files allow for nonvolatile storage of data and for much larger amounts of data than can be stored by main memory.

Reference: p. 24-32

54. What is a bit? How does the computer's memory store bits of information? Provide an example to support your answer.

Each memory cell consists of a particular set of circuits (a small subset of the VLSI circuits on a memory chip), and each circuit can be set to either "on" or "off." Because each circuit has just two states (on and off), they have been equated to 1 and 0, the two possible values of a binary number. Thus, each circuit corresponds to a binary digit, or a bit. In order to represent the decimal digits (and the alphabetic letters and special characters) for processing by the computer, several of these bits (or circuits) must be combined to represent a single character. In most computers, eight bits (or circuits) represent a single character. And a memory cell containing a single character, we know, is called a byte. Thus, eight bits equals one byte in most machines. Let's consider a particular example. Assume that we have a computer where each memory cell is a byte (can contain one character). Then memory cell number 327, for instance, will consist of eight circuits or bits. If these circuits are set to on-on-on-on-on-off-off-on (or, alternatively, 1111 1001), this may be defined by the coding scheme to represent the decimal digit 9. If these bits are set to 1111 0001, this may be defined as the decimal digit 1. If these bits are set to 1100 0010, this may be defined as the letter B. And so on, with each character we wish to represent having a corresponding pattern of eight bits.

Reference: p. 28



55. Describe the differences between sequential access files and direct access files.

There are two basic ways to organize computer files: sequential access and direct access. With sequential access files, all of the records that make up the files are stored in sequence according to the control key of the file. For instance, a payroll file will contain one record for each employee. These individual employee records are stored in sequence according to the employee identification number. There are no addresses within the file; to find a particular record, the file device must start at the beginning of the sequential file and read each record until it finds the desired one. It is apparent that this method of finding a single record might take a long time, particularly if the sequential file is long and the desired record is near the end. Thus, we would rarely try to find a single record with a sequential access file. A direct access file, stored on a direct access storage device or DASD, is a file from which it is possible for the computer to obtain a record immediately, without regard to where the record is located in the file. A typical DASD for a computer consists of a continuously rotating stack of disks (or perhaps only one disk), where each disk resembles an old-style phonograph record.

Reference: p. 29-30

56. Discuss the differences between MIPS and Mega Flops.

One of the primary measures of the power of any computer model is the number of instructions that it can execute in a given period of time. Of course, some instructions take longer to execute than others, so any speed rating represents an average of some sort. These averages may not be representative of the speeds that the computer could sustain on the mix of jobs carried out by your organization or any other organization. Furthermore, some machines operate on four bytes at a time (microcomputers), while others operate on eight bytes at a time (many larger machines). Thus, the speed rating for a microcomputer is not comparable to the speed rating for a larger machine. In the 1980s, the most commonly used speed rating was MIPS, millions of instructions per second executed by the control unit. This measure has largely gone out of favor because of the "apples and oranges" nature of the comparisons of MIPS ratings across classes of computers. Another speed rating used is MegaFLOPS or MFLOPS – millions of floating point operations per second. These ratings are derived by running a particular set of programs in a particular language on the machines being investigated. The ratings are therefore more meaningful than a simple MIPS rating, but they still reflect only a single problem area.

Reference: p. 34



57. Compare symmetric multiprocessor systems to parallel processor systems.

An increasing number of larger computers now make use of multiple processors as a way of increasing their power (usually measured by throughput). In these cases, two, three, or more CPUs are installed as part of the same computer system. The term symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) refers to multiprocessor machines in which all the processors or CPUs are identical, with each processor operating independently of the others. The multiple CPUs equally share functional and timing access to and control over all other system components, including main memory and the various peripheral devices, with each CPU working in its own allotted portion of memory. One CPU might handle on-line transaction processing, while a second deals with engineering calculations, a third works on a batch payroll system, and a fourth operates as a Web server. A parallel processor (PP) has two major differences from a vector facility. First, there is no single primary CPU, and, second, the various CPUs are not always performing the same operation at the same time. For example, a parallel processing machine may have 16, 64, 256, or more processors, each of which would work on a separate piece of the same program. Many supercomputers employ a parallel processing architecture.

Reference: p. 36

58. Compare and contrast microcomputers to workstations/midrange systems.

Microcomputers, often called micros or personal computers or just PCs, cost from $300 to $3,000. They generally have less power than workstations/midrange systems, but the dividing line between these categories is faint. In general, microcomputers can be carried or moved by one person, and they usually have only a single keyboard and video display unit (which is why they are called personal computers). Desktop PCs are the most familiar, but PCs also come in laptop or notebook models in a small briefcase-like package weighing under ten pounds, and newer, smaller hand-held or palmtop models weighing in at a pound or less. Historically, workstations and midrange systems have been considered as distinct categories of computers, but they now overlap so much in cost, power, and applications that we have chosen to combine them in a single category that stretches all the way from microcomputers to the much larger mainframes and supercomputers. Somewhat arbitrarily we have defined this type of computer system as costing from $3,000 (the top of the microcomputers category) to $1,000,000 (near the bottom of the mainframes category), with power ranging from 40 to 4,000 MFLOPS.

Reference: p. 38-42



59. Compare and contrast midrange systems to mainframes.

Turning to the second aspect of the workstations/midrange systems category, we begin by noting that traditional midrange systems have always had an identity crisis – no one knew for sure what to call them or what machines belonged in this category. Until the 1990s, commentators used the label of minicomputers for this category. Originally, these machines were just like the larger mainframe machines, except that they were less powerful and less expensive. For a while, the larger minicomputers were even called superminicomputers, which is a strange name, using both super and mini as prefixes. But these traditional midrange systems were very important, serving as departmental computers, handling specific tasks such as office automation, and acting as the server in a client/server architecture. Many mid-sized businesses used one or more midrange systems to handle their corporate data processing. The mainframes are the "bread-and-butter" machines of information processing that are the heart of the computing systems of most major corporations and government agencies. Our earlier discussion on the evolution of computing dealt primarily with the various generations of mainframe computers. The range of mainframe power and cost is wide, with MFLOPS varying from 200 to 8,000 and cost from $1,000,000 to $20,000,000. Thousands of terminals (or microcomputers acting as terminals) can be handled by a mainframe, and the machine requires a good-sized computer room and a sizable professional staff of operators and programmer/analysts. The strength of mainframes is the versatility of applications they can handle – online and batch processing, standard business applications, engineering and scientific applications, network control, systems development, Web serving, and more. They also operate as very large servers in a client/server environment. Because of the continuing importance of mainframes in corporate computing, a wide variety of peripheral equipment has been developed for use with these machines, as has an even wider variety of applications and systems software. This development, by the way, has been carried out by computer vendors, other equipment manufacturers, and companies that specialize in producing software, known as software houses.

Reference: p. 39-43



60. Describe the two primary types of optical disks commonly used today.

Two primary types of optical disks are in common use today: a compact disk (CD) and digital video disk, or digital versatile disk (DVD). Each of these optical disk types has three variations: a read-only disk (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM); a recordable disk (CD-R or DVD-R); and a rewritable disk (CD-RW or DVD-RW). Standard capacity for a CD is 700 megabytes of data or 80 minutes of audio recording. Standard capacity for a two-sided DVD is 4.7 gigabytes – more than enough for a full-length movie. The readable CD or DVD is familiar as a way of distributing music, computer software, and even movies. It can only be read and cannot be erased. A recordable CD or DVD can be written on by the computer, but only once. Then it can be used (read) many times. They are often used for archiving records of all types. A rewritable CD or DVD is the most versatile form of optical disk. Writing on one is a three-step process: (1) use laser heat to erase the recording surface; (2) use a combination of laser and magnetic technology to write on the recording surface; and (3) read, via a laser, what has been written to verify the accuracy of the recording process. Maybe one day this type of optical disk will replace the floppy disk.

Reference: p. 32


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