CS 301: Computer Organization

1. Basic computer organization at the machine level
   • components of a machine
   • fetch-execute cycle
   Concept of "levels" -- machine, assembly language, digital logic, and high-level language views
2. Representation of integers (signed magnitude, 1s and 2s complement) IEEE floating point representation (single precision is sufficient)
3. Use of a hypothetical simple computer for
   • writing a simulation or using a high-level language
   • writing an assembler
   • introducing assembly language
4. Writing assembly language procedures and functions for a real computer. Illustrate use of basic addressing modes, calling sequences, and storage of locals and parameters.
5. Digital logic basics:
   • basic gates
   • combination and memory circuits: adders, counters, multiplexers, decoders
   • simple model of a CPU control circuit

Roughly speaking, #3 and #4 above take 2/3 of the course.

Approved by the Computer Science faculty on April 17, 1995.

Last Modified: 11/25/2003 | Contact Name: Lewis Barnett