A processor has 40 instructions and 24 registers. Instruction format is 32 bits with opcode, two register fields, and an immediate field. How many bits are in the immediate field?
40 instructions => 6 bits opcode. 24 regs => 5 bits each. Immediate = 32 - 6 - 5 - 5 = 16 bits.
Which addressing mode is most effective for traversing 1D arrays in a loop?
Auto-increment advances the pointer register automatically after each array access, streamlining loop iteration.
An instruction set has 125 control signals divided into 5 mutually exclusive groups of sizes 20, 70, 2, 10, 23. How many bits are saved by vertical microprogramming over horizontal?
Horizontal = 125 bits. Vertical = ceil(log2(21)) + ceil(log2(71)) + ceil(log2(3)) + ceil(log2(11)) + ceil(log2(24)) = 5 + 7 + 2 + 4 + 5 = 23 bits. Saved = 125 - 23 = 102 bits.
In IEEE 754 single precision floating point, what bias value is added to the true exponent?
IEEE 754 single precision uses exponent bias of 127 (Excess-127 representation).
What is the result of shifting an 8-bit 2's complement binary number 11001000 (-56) right arithmetic by 2 positions?
Arithmetic right shift preserves sign bit. 11001000 >> 2 = 11110010 = -14 decimal.