How to study Computer Architecture — Semester IV, Pokhara University BECE
What it covers
How computers are designed: the evolution of computer architecture, processing unit and control unit design, instruction sets, pipelining, memory hierarchy and cache, I/O organization, and parallel processing.
Topics worth extra time
- Instruction set architecture and addressing modes
- Computer arithmetic: fixed and floating point, multiplication and division algorithms
- Control unit design: hardwired and microprogrammed
- Pipelining and its hazards
- Memory hierarchy, cache mapping and virtual memory; I/O organisation
How to study it
Work through arithmetic algorithms (Booth’s multiplication, restoring division) on examples by hand. For caches, practise mapping addresses to sets and computing hit ratios. Relate pipelining hazards to real instruction sequences.
In the exam
Step-by-step tables for arithmetic algorithms and clear block diagrams score well. In cache and pipeline numericals, state your assumptions and show the formula before substituting.