Pearson Edexcel IGCSE · Computer Science

Hardware: Practice Questions

5 multiple-choice questions marked as you go, and 2 written questions with worked solutions. All on Hardware.

7 questions11 marksFree, no account

Question 1

1 mark

What is a primary characteristic of an embedded system?

Question 2

1 mark

Which statement best describes the purpose of virtual memory?

Question 3

1 mark

A user upgrades their CPU from a single-core processor to a quad-core processor, both running at a clock speed of \( 3.0\text{ GHz} \). Why might some applications NOT show a significant increase in performance?

Question 4

1 mark

Which type of memory is volatile and used to store data and instructions currently in use by the computer?

Question 5

1 mark

During the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle, which register holds the memory address of the next instruction to be fetched?

Question 6

2 marks

In the Von Neumann model of a computer system, what is the primary purpose of the Arithmetic/Logic Unit (ALU)?

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Question 7

4 marks

The Von Neumann architecture defines how a modern computer functions using the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle. Identify the hardware components of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) based on these descriptions:

a) Which component performs arithmetic operations such as addition and logical operations such as AND/OR?
b) Which component manages the flow of data and coordinates the fetch-decode-execute cycle?
c) Name the small, high-speed storage locations inside the CPU used to hold data and instructions temporarily during processing.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

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