CS2200
Spring 2005
Practice Test I

Endianess

    1. Explain what is meant by endianess and discuss the importance 
       or lack of importance of this topic.
    
    
Addressing Modes

    2. What are the different addressing modes in the LC-2200-8
       Give examples of each.
    
Saving & Restoring Registers

    3. What is convention involving s and t registers? Explain the 
       thinking behind this convention.
 

Frame Pointer

    4a. Describe the function of the frame pointer.
    
    4b. Gcc allows the programmer to increase the efficiency of a
         program by not using a frame pointer. Why would this work?

   
Variable Allocation

    5. What variables are stored on the stack, in the heap, in the
       static area of memory.

Instruction Set

    6. Show what each instruction in the LC-2200-8 does using
       register transfer language.       
               

Instruction set design tradeoffs

    7. Describe the various tradeoff that occur when a new processor 
       gets designed.
    
    

Miscellaneous Questions

    8. During Project 1 you had total control of the datapath. But as 
       an application programmer your ability to directly manipulate 
       elements in the datapath is severly limited. Just what things 
       can you manipulate using the instruction set and what things 
       are out of your control. Give examples to justify your answer.

Project 

    9. Explain how a simple computer works using the LC-2200-8 as an 
       example.