Processors, Parallel Processing & Virtual Machines (Cambridge (CIE) A Level Computer Science): Exam Questions

Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) is a type of processor.

Identify four features of a CISC processor.

Reduced Instruction Set Computers (RISC) and Complex Instruction Set Computers (CISC) are two types of processor.

State two features of RISC processors.

Outline the process of interrupt handling as it could be applied to RISC or CISC processors.

Explain how pipelining affects interrupt handling for RISC processors.

Outline two benefits and two limitations of a virtual machine.

Explain the roles of the host operating system and the guest operating system as used in a computer system running a virtual machine.

Describe the features of SISD and MIMD computer architectures.

SISD

MIMD

Describe the features of the SIMD and MISD computer architectures.

SIMD

MISD