Answer the following questions true (T) or false (F)

Question

1. Answer True or False with justification: “The compiler writer is intimately aware of the details of the processor implementation.”.

2. Answer True or False with justification: “The internal hardware organization of a computer system varies dramatically depending on the specifics of the system.”.

3. Answer True/False with justification: Procedure call/return cannot be implemented without a frame pointer.

Answer 1

1. False: The compiler writer must know some details known as the instruction set architecture but many details of the processor implementation are of no use or interest to the compiler writer
2. True and False: Depending on which level of abstraction you are dealing with this statement may be true or false! The same basic logic building blocks are used but the details of transistors might change depending on speed vs. power consumption issues, almost all computers will certainly know how to add and the essential circuitry for that will be quite similar the organization of logic elements and design of the datapath and control system might be quite different between a graphics processor and one used to control a hearing aid.
3. False, the frame pointer is not necessary to implement procedure calls, but it can make code simpler.