Cork Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Software Development & Computer
Networking – Stage 2
(Bachelor of Science in Software Development & Computer Networking – Stage 2)
(NFQ – Level 8)
Autumn 2005
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
(Time: 3 Hours)
Answer any four questions. Examiner: Mr. S. Lankford
Dr. D. Chambers
Mr. E. A. Parslow
Mr. P. O’Connor
Q1 (a) With appropriate diagrams, illustrate and explain the operation of the stack in the
68000 processor. In your explanation, use either RTL or sample code, to illustrate the
push and pull stack operations. (10 marks)
(b) Explain and Illustrate, where necessary, what effect the following code samples
have on the stack:
(i) MOVE.W 4(A7),D2
(ii) MOVE.L (A7)+,D4
(iii) LEA $4000, A7 (6 marks)
(c) Given the following DATA section:
ORG DATA
X DS.B 1
Write a subroutine, to evaluate x7. The value of x is passed to the subroutine via the
stack. Write a 68000 program, which uses this subroutine to evaluate the following
expression: (3x7 +8) 7x7
The subroutine is to return the result of the calculation via the stack and then store the
answer in D6. It is assumed that, once the program is loaded, the value X = 4 is
copied into memory using the memory viewer. (9 marks)
[Total 25 marks]
