Question 1

The number of bits being transmitted at one time is dependent on the bus width.

Accepted Answer

The bus width determines the number of bits that can be transmitted simultaneously.

Question 2

As a hard drive begins to get full, it takes less time to locate the data stored on the hard drive.

Accepted Answer

This statement is not true. As a hard drive begins to get full, it may actually take longer to locate data as the drive may need to search through more data and potentially fragment files across multiple areas of the drive.

Question 3

The backside bus (BSB) has been one of the most common types of expansion buses in past years.

Accepted Answer

The term "backside bus" typically refers to a connection between a CPU and its cache memory, rather than an expansion bus for adding peripherals or additional components to a computer system. Expansion buses include PCI, AGP, and ISA, among others.

Question 4

Early computers required programs to be written in machine language.

Accepted Answer

Early computers did not have high-level programming languages like we have today, so programmers had to write programs in machine language, which is the lowest level of programming language that computers can understand.

Question 5

ROM (read-only memory), also called main memory or system memory, is used to store the essential parts of the operating system while the computer is running.

Accepted Answer

This statement is not entirely true. While ROM does store permanent data and instructions that are used during the startup process, the main memory or system memory referred to in this statement is actually referring to RAM (random access memory). RAM is used to temporarily store data and instructions that are actively being used by the computer while it is running.

Question 6

Unlike ASCII and EBCDIC, Unicode is a universal international coding standard designed to represent text-based data written in any ancient or modern language, including those with different alphabets.

Accepted Answer

Unicode is designed to represent text-based data written in any language, regardless of the alphabet used. It includes characters from many languages including Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic. ASCII and EBCDIC are limited to a subset of characters used in the English language.

Question 7

Thunderbolt ports are used to receive wireless transmissions from devices.

Accepted Answer

Thunderbolt ports are not used to receive wireless transmissions. They are primarily used for data transfer, video output, and power delivery. However, some Thunderbolt docks or adapters may offer wireless connectivity options along with other ports.

Question 8

To create 3D RAM or flash memory chips, the memory cells are stacked on top of one another in layers.

Accepted Answer

3D RAM or flash memory chips are made by stacking memory cells on top of one another in layers. This stacking technique allows for more memory capacity in a smaller space.

Question 9

Pipelining increases the number of machine cycles completed per second.

Accepted Answer

Pipelining allows multiple instructions to be executed simultaneously through overlapping stages, increasing the overall throughput and completing more machine cycles per second.

Question 10

To convert analog sound to digital sound, several thousand samples-digital representations of the sound at a particular moment-are taken every second.

Accepted Answer

This is correct, to convert analog sound to digital sound, the process of analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) involves taking several thousand samples of the sound wave per second and converting each sample into a digital representation.

Question 11

Each location in memory has an address.

Accepted Answer

Each location in memory is identified by a unique address, which allows programs to read or write data to that location.

Question 12

Each pixel in a monochrome graphic can be only one of two possible colors (such as black or white).

Accepted Answer

Monochrome graphics are created using only one color, usually black, and each pixel can only be that color or white.

Question 13

USB ports are used to connect a computer to a phone outlet via telephone connectors.

Accepted Answer

USB ports are used to connect a variety of devices to a computer, such as external hard drives, printers, and smartphones. However, they are not used for connecting a computer to a phone outlet via telephone connectors. That is typically done with a phone line or Ethernet cable.

Question 14

Several of the original ports used with desktop computers-such as the parallel ports traditionally used to connect printers-are now considered standard ports.

Accepted Answer

Several original ports used with desktop computers, such as parallel ports, are no longer considered standard ports.

Question 15

The binary numbering system uses only two symbols-the digits 0 and 1-to represent all possible numbers.

Accepted Answer

The binary numbering system uses only two symbols (0 and 1) to represent all possible numbers, making it a base 2 system.

Question 16

The control unit takes the instructions fetched by the prefetch unit and translates them into a form that can be understood by the control unit, ALU, and FPU.

Accepted Answer

The control unit does not translate the instructions. Rather, it decodes them into signals that control the operation of the ALU and FPU. The instructions themselves are already in a format that can be understood by the processor.

Question 17

The main circuit board inside the system unit is called the megaboard.

Accepted Answer

The main circuit board inside the system unit is called the motherboard or system board, not the megaboard.

Question 18

The process of representing data in a form that can be understood by a digital computer is called decimal byte representation.

Accepted Answer

The process of representing data in a form that can be understood by a digital computer is called binary representation, not decimal byte representation.

Question 19

The decode unit coordinates and controls the operations and activities taking place within a CPU core.

Accepted Answer

The decode unit is responsible for decoding the fetched instructions into signals that can be understood by other parts of the CPU, not for coordinating and controlling all operations and activities within a CPU core.

Question 20

Some basic capabilities are often integrated directly into the motherboard instead of requiring the use of an expansion card .

Accepted Answer

This is true. Basic capabilities such as sound cards, network cards and USB controllers are often integrated directly into the motherboard.

Quiz 2: The System Unit, Processing, and Memory