[SOLVED] Curious

wersi · 08-24-2007, 01:04 PM

A certain microprocessor has a data bus width of eight bits. What is the number of different data values that can be represented in one memory location of this machine?

TIA

**TheMatt** · 08-24-2007, 04:44 PM

Are you referring to the FSB or processor bus and the main system RAM or the cache?

Is this a question on a homework or schoolwork assignment?

**johnwill** · 08-24-2007, 05:53 PM

Homework on the web, how original.

JohnthePilot · 08-24-2007, 06:16 PM

Looks like it to me.

chauffeur2 · 08-25-2007, 01:10 AM

Agreed....I'd say a school electronics assignment question.

wersi · 08-25-2007, 04:50 AM

It is a question in a tutor assignment and not a formal assessment. Trouble is I do not understand the question! No mention of FSB or processor bus and the main system RAM or the cache!

It seems from the replies that I am not alone in not understanding this question. I answered all of the others.

**kodi** · 08-25-2007, 12:11 PM

Google is your friend

**TheMatt** · 08-25-2007, 12:54 PM

That question is rather vague because it just says "data bus". It could mean the external bus or FSB, or internal data bus or registers. However, I think they are referring to the address bus. Let me consult one of my books and I will post back with an explanation on how to answer the question.

**TheMatt** · 08-25-2007, 01:12 PM

OK, I have this figured out. Please don't just read the answer, take the time to look at how I solved it because this is how you learn. The math is actually pretty simple once you have the idea.

As you know, computers use a base 2 number system (aka binary). This means they only send either 1's or 0's through the address bus.

The equation is:

Number system ^ Address bus width.

Now before we go onto the math, lets just look at some simple stuff. Lets say the computer only has a 2 bit address bus. Now don't get confused with the typical use of the term bus. We aren't taking into account the speed of the bus or calculating bandwidth or anything like that. That is usually done for the memory bus or something like that.

Here an imaginary processor has an address bus of 2 bits. This mean it can only address four different numbers - 00, 01, 10, and 11. Another way of putting it is that it can address only 4 bytes (bytes, not bits).

Now onto the math. This is pretty easy. Now that you know the formula, you can calculate the answer. The number system is actually a constant and not a variable because all computers use the binary base 2 system. So your equation will always be 2 ^ x where X is the address bus width.

Now onto your specific problem. I am pretty sure they are referring to the address bus because that is what makes sense. The address bus is 8-bits wide so that means your final equation is 2 to the power of 8 or 2 ^ 8. Go solve that and what you are looking for is the answer to that exponent in bytes.

wersi · 08-26-2007, 09:50 AM

Many thanks to TheMatt.

I emailed my tutor assignment yesterday and admitted I was stuck with one question. However thanks to your help I have now learned the formula.

**TheMatt** · 08-26-2007, 10:53 AM

You're welcome.

08-24-2007, 01:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
wersi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 94 OS: Windows XP Professional	[SOLVED] Curious A certain microprocessor has a data bus width of eight bits. What is the number of different data values that can be represented in one memory location of this machine? TIA

08-24-2007, 04:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Curious Are you referring to the FSB or processor bus and the main system RAM or the cache? Is this a question on a homework or schoolwork assignment? __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides Last edited by TheMatt; 08-24-2007 at 04:45 PM.

08-24-2007, 05:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,802 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Curious Homework on the web, how original. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

08-24-2007, 06:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
JohnthePilot Manager, TSF Articles Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cheltenham, near Wales. Posts: 30,932 OS: XP Home SP3, PCLinux, Vista Home Premium SP1 My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Curious Looks like it to me. __________________ Submit New Articles Here If you feel that TSF has helped you please make a donationand help to keep the forum free Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon Folding@Home - Team 85015

08-25-2007, 01:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
chauffeur2 Manager Emeritus Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 10,180 OS: Xp Sp3 with all updates + Vista™ Ultimate SP1. My System	Re: Curious Agreed....I'd say a school electronics assignment question. __________________ Dave T. Submit New Articles If it works, Don't fix it! Especially if Bill Gates had anything to do with it!!

08-25-2007, 04:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
wersi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 94 OS: Windows XP Professional	Re: Curious It is a question in a tutor assignment and not a formal assessment. Trouble is I do not understand the question! No mention of FSB or processor bus and the main system RAM or the cache! It seems from the replies that I am not alone in not understanding this question. I answered all of the others.

08-25-2007, 12:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
kodi Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 7,408 OS: Windows 7-Ultimate 64 Bit My System	Re: Curious Google is your friend __________________ Brian

08-25-2007, 12:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Curious That question is rather vague because it just says "data bus". It could mean the external bus or FSB, or internal data bus or registers. However, I think they are referring to the address bus. Let me consult one of my books and I will post back with an explanation on how to answer the question. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides Last edited by TheMatt; 08-25-2007 at 12:56 PM.

08-25-2007, 01:12 PM	#9 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Curious OK, I have this figured out. Please don't just read the answer, take the time to look at how I solved it because this is how you learn. The math is actually pretty simple once you have the idea. As you know, computers use a base 2 number system (aka binary). This means they only send either 1's or 0's through the address bus. The equation is: Number system ^ Address bus width. Now before we go onto the math, lets just look at some simple stuff. Lets say the computer only has a 2 bit address bus. Now don't get confused with the typical use of the term bus. We aren't taking into account the speed of the bus or calculating bandwidth or anything like that. That is usually done for the memory bus or something like that. Here an imaginary processor has an address bus of 2 bits. This mean it can only address four different numbers - 00, 01, 10, and 11. Another way of putting it is that it can address only 4 bytes (bytes, not bits). Now onto the math. This is pretty easy. Now that you know the formula, you can calculate the answer. The number system is actually a constant and not a variable because all computers use the binary base 2 system. So your equation will always be 2 ^ x where X is the address bus width. Now onto your specific problem. I am pretty sure they are referring to the address bus because that is what makes sense. The address bus is 8-bits wide so that means your final equation is 2 to the power of 8 or 2 ^ 8. Go solve that and what you are looking for is the answer to that exponent in bytes. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

08-26-2007, 09:50 AM	#10 (permalink)
wersi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 94 OS: Windows XP Professional	Re: Curious Many thanks to TheMatt. I emailed my tutor assignment yesterday and admitted I was stuck with one question. However thanks to your help I have now learned the formula.

08-26-2007, 10:53 AM	#11 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Curious You're welcome. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides