Computer Systems Organization

CSCI 463-1

Spring 2024


Last updated Mon. 4/15/2024

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Course information


Reference material


Outline of Blackboard files

Future material is provided for your convenience. Details may change until the week we get to each section.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Section Topic                                                                            
1a Introduction
1d History of the modern computer
1f Von Neumann architecture


Chapter 3: Boolean algebra and digital logic
Section Topic                                                                            
3a Boolean algebra
3b Boolean identities
3c Logic gates
  HW1 due Wed., Jan. 31, 11:59 PM
3d Combinatorial logic: the adder
3e Combinatorial logic: decoder, mux, shifter
  HW2 due Wed., Feb. 7, 11:59 PM
3f Sequential logic: flipflops
3g Sequential logic: register, memory
3h Sequential logic: binary counter
  HW3 due Wed., Feb. 14, 11:59 PM


Chapter 2: Data representation - Integers and fixed point
Section Topic                                                                            
2d Review: Decimal-to-binary conversion
(subtraction and division methods)
2e1 Review: Binary-to-decimal conversion
(addition and multiplication methods)
2e2 Review: Binary and hex
2f Binary fractions
2g Two's complement
2h Overflow
2i Binary math
  HW4 due Wed., Feb. 21, 11:59 PM
  Exam 1 Thu., Feb. 29 (through HW3 only)


Chapter 4: Overview of computer architecture
Section Topic                                                                            
4a1 Datapath and bus
4b Instructions and RTL
(using MARIE as example)
4c Execution cycle and interrupts
4e Indirect addressing
  HW5 due Fri., Mar. 22, 11:59 PM
4f Decoding: hardwired
4g Decoding: microprogrammed
  HW6 due Fri., Mar. 29, 11:59 PM
  Exam 2 Thu., Apr. 11


Chapter 5: Instruction set architecture
Section Topic                                                                            
5a ISA overview
5c ISA types
4a2 Cycle and memory math
5d Pipelining
5e RISC vs. CISC
5f Supercomputers
  HW7 due Fri., Apr. 5, 11:59 PM


Chapter 2: Data representation - Characters
Section Topic                                                                            
5b Endianness
2p ASCII encoding
2q Unicode
2r UTF
  HW8 due Wed., Apr. 24, 11:59 PM


Chapter 2: Data representation - Floating point
Section Topic                                                                            
2j Floating point concepts
2m Floating point range
2n Floating point error analysis


Chapter 7: I/O and files
Section Topic                                                                            
4c2 Interrupts
4c3 I/O
7a Directories


Chapter 6: Memory and cache memory
Section Topic                                                                            
6a Memory overview
6d Cache
  HW9 due Wed., May 1, 11:59 PM


Chapter 8: Software
Section Topic                                                                            
8a Assemblers
8b Linkers
8c Compilers
  Final exam, Thu. May 9, noon-1:50 PM



Work area



Data Representation: Floating point