Contents:

• Overview
• Problems to be Submitted

Topic: CPU Datapath
Related Reading: Chapter 5 of our zybooks text, and class lecture notes

1.   (25 points)   Canvas Quiz:
   Complete the questions on the quiz titled "Homework #6 - The CPU Datapath (online portion)" on the Canvas course website.

   This quiz is auto-graded, so you will receive immediate feedback on your performance at the end of the quiz. You are allowed to take complete the quiz two times, if desired, and it will save the highest grade. The correct answers will be available online one-week after the homework deadline passes.

2.   (9 points)   SLU Computer Architecture Visualization Survey:
   An email is being sent to your SLU email regarding a Survey of the SLU Computer Architecture Visualization tool. This is a tool that simulates ARM (v7) assembly instructions, visualizing the flow of data as the instruction executes in the CPU Datapath.

   There are three short assembly programs the Survey asks you to enter and run in the simulator. Please do so and spend some time going through the simulations of each to gain a good understanding of how the data flow through the CPU Datapath works. Then complete the survey questions as appropriate.

3.   (3 points)

   For the following ARM assembly instruction:

              LDR X8, [X12, #20]

   As we've done in class, using a single-cycle datapath (PDF, PNG):

   • highlight (via a colored pen or highlighter) the active wires in the datapath
   • indicate (on the figure) the specific values on each of the active wires

   For annotating the figure with the values, assume the following initial values:

   • X8 = -39
   • X12 = 0x154C8
   • the address of this instruction is 0xA508,
   • each value in memory is equal to its address modulous 1024, i.e.:   addr % 1024 (i.e. the bottom 10 bits of the address)

4.   (3 points)

   For the following ARM assembly instruction:

              BGT IF_EXIT

   As we've done in class, using a single-cycle datapath (PDF, PNG):

   • highlight (via a colored pen or highlighter) the active wires in the datapath
   • indicate (on the figure) the specific values on each of the active wires

   For annotating the figure with the values, assume the following initial values:

   • the IF_EXIT instruction is 9 instructions below/past the current instruction
   • the branch is taken (i.e. result of the prior CMP is greater than)
   • the address of this instruction is 0x8F18