CPU Architecture, Performance & Embedded Systems | OCR GCSE Computer Science Exam Questions 2020

1a1 mark

The specification of two CPUs is shown in Fig. 1.

Computer 1	Computer 2
Clock Speed: 1 GHz	Clock Speed: 1.4 GHz
Cache size: 2 MB	Cache size: 2 MB
Number of Cores: 4	Number of Cores: 2

Fig. 1

When running a 3D flight simulator, Computer 1 is likely to run faster than Computer 2.

Using the information in Fig. 1, identify one reason for this.

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1b2 marks

Identify two other parts of a computer that are not in Fig. 1, which could improve the performance of the computers.

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3a1 mark

A Sat Nav contains an embedded system.

Define what is meant by an ‘embedded system’.

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3b3 marks

Identify three devices, other than a Sat Nav, which contain embedded systems.

1
2
3

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54 marks

Match the letter in the definitions to the part of the processor it describes

Definitions

A	Performs mathematical operations
B	Sends signals to direct the operations
C	Keeps the clock in sync
D	A small piece of memory inside the processor that can hold one instruction or address
E	High speed memory inside the processor that stores recently used instructions

Part of the processor

Control Unit (CU)
Cache
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
Register

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14 marks

Complete the table by writing the missing definition or name of each of the common CPU components and registers.

CPU component or register	Definition
	Stores the address of the next instruction to be fetched from memory. Increments during each fetch-execute cycle.
CU (Control Unit)
	Stores the address of the data to be fetched from or the address where the data is to be stored.
	Performs mathematical calculations and logical operations.

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43 marks

Ali’s tablet computer has an operating system.

Ali thinks his tablet is an embedded system.

State whether Ali is correct or incorrect, justifying your choice.

Choice
Justification

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5a1 mark

Xander has a smart watch and a laptop.

Tick (✓) one box to show whether the smart watch or the laptop is an example of an embedded system.

	Is an example of an embedded system
Smart watch
Laptop

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5b2 marks

Justify your choice to part (a).

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1a5 marks

Kerry wants to buy a new computer, but she does not understand what the different parts of a computer do.

Kerry has heard of a CPU but does not know what it is.

The following sentences describe the purpose of a CPU.

Complete the sentences by filling in the missing words.

CPU stands for .....................................

It is the part of the computer that fetches and executes the

.................... that are stored in ...........................

The CPU contains the Arithmetic ............ Unit (ALU) and the

............. Unit (CU).

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1b2 marks

Kerry is looking at two computers; one has a single core processor and the other has a dual core processor.

Explain why having a dual core processor might improve the performance of the computer.

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1c2 marks

One computer has 64 kilobytes of cache and the other has 512 kilobytes of cache.

Explain how the cache size can affect the performance of the CPU.

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CPU Architecture, Performance & Embedded Systems (OCR GCSE Computer Science)

Exam Questions