Computer Architecture MCQs with answers are essential for students preparing for university exams, PPSC, FPSC, and NTS tests. Mastering core concepts through solved Computer Architecture MCQs helps build strong computer science fundamentals. This comprehensive collection covers CPU design, pipelining, cache memory, instruction set architecture (ISA), and memory organization. Practicing these high-yield Computer Architecture MCQs regularly ensures thorough exam preparation and better accuracy in competitive exams.
Table of Contents
Question 1: Which unit of the CPU is responsible for performing arithmetic and logical operations?
- A) Control Unit (CU)
- B) Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
- C) Memory Management Unit (MMU)
- D) Register Array
Correct Answer: B) Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
Question 2: What technique allows multiple instructions to be overlapped in execution?
- A) Multitasking
- B) Pipelining
- C) Parallel Processing
- D) Serial Processing
Correct Answer: B) Pipelining Note: Practicing these Computer Architecture MCQs regularly improves accuracy and speed in competitive tests.
Question 3: Which register holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched from memory?
- A) Instruction Register (IR)
- B) Memory Address Register (MAR)
- C) Program Counter (PC)
- D) Accumulator (ACC)
Correct Answer: C) Program Counter (PC)
Question 4: What type of cache mapping permits a memory block to be loaded into any cache line?
- A) Direct Mapping
- B) Fully Associative Mapping
- C) Set-Associative Mapping
- D) Block Mapping
Correct Answer: B) Fully Associative Mapping Tip: Bookmark these Computer Architecture MCQs for quick exam day revision on memory hierarchies and cache systems.
Question 5: Which architecture uses a unified memory structure for both instructions and data?
- A) Harvard Architecture
- B) Von Neumann Architecture
- C) RISC Architecture
- D) CISC Architecture
Correct Answer: B) Von Neumann Architecture
Question 6: What is the main advantage of Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) architecture?
- A) Complex instruction sets
- B) Variable length instructions
- C) Single-cycle execution for most instructions
- D) Microprogrammed control unit
Correct Answer: C) Single-cycle execution for most instructions
Question 7: Which hazard occurs in a pipeline when an instruction depends on the result of a previous instruction?
- A) Structural Hazard
- B) Data Hazard
- C) Control Hazard
- D) Branch Hazard
Correct Answer: B) Data Hazard
Question 8: What type of memory is fastest and directly accessible by the CPU?
- A) Cache Memory
- B) Registers
- C) Main Memory (RAM)
- D) Hard Disk
Correct Answer: B) Registers
Question 9: Which bus is unidirectional in a microprocessor system?
- A) Data Bus
- B) Control Bus
- C) Address Bus
- D) System Bus
Correct Answer: C) Address Bus
Question 10: What phenomenon occurs when cache memory is repeatedly flushed and reloaded due to conflicting memory access?
- A) Paging
- B) Thrashing
- C) Cache Hit
- D) Interleaving
Correct Answer: B) Thrashing
Question 11: Which addressing mode specifies the operand directly within the instruction itself?
- A) Direct Addressing
- B) Indirect Addressing
- C) Immediate Addressing
- D) Register Addressing
Correct Answer: C) Immediate Addressing
Question 12: What is the primary function of DMA (Direct Memory Access)?
- A) To execute ALU operations faster
- B) To transfer data directly between I/O devices and memory without CPU intervention
- C) To manage virtual memory allocation
- D) To control branch predictions
Correct Answer: B) To transfer data directly between I/O devices and memory without CPU intervention Summary: Resolving complex questions using these Computer Architecture MCQs builds confidence for technical job interviews.
Question 13: Which interrupt is non-maskable and cannot be ignored by the CPU?
- A) Software Interrupt
- B) Hardware Interrupt
- C) Trap / NMI (Non-Maskable Interrupt)
- D) Timer Interrupt
Correct Answer: C) Trap / NMI (Non-Maskable Interrupt)
Question 14: What metric measures the average number of clock cycles required to execute an instruction?
- A) MIPS
- B) CPI (Cycles Per Instruction)
- C) Clock Frequency
- D) Throughput
Correct Answer: B) CPI (Cycles Per Instruction)
Question 15: Which memory replacement algorithm replaces the page that has not been used for the longest period?
- A) First-In-First-Out (FIFO)
- B) Least Recently Used (LRU)
- C) Optimal Page Replacement
- D) Random Replacement
Correct Answer: B) Least Recently Used (LRU)
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