Computer Architecture — Part 2 MCQs with Explanations
Practice high-yield Computer Science & IT MCQs on Computer Architecture — Part 2 with worked academic solutions for PPSC, FPSC, CSS, PMS, NTS.
Questions
40
Difficulty Level
Exam-Level
Target Exams
PPSC, FPSC, CSS...
Estimated Time
48 mins
Exam-Level PPSC FPSC CSS PMS NTS
Verified for Commission Syllabus • Oct 14, 2026
40
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Interactive test mode with detailed academic worked solutions
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Question 1 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "interrupt" refer to in computer architecture?
Correct Answer: Option D — Signal sent by hardware or software indicating an event that needs immediate attention
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Signal sent by hardware or software indicating an event that needs immediate attention is the correct answer to “What does the term "interrupt" refer to in computer architecture”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 2 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of memory is used to hold data that is frequently accessed by the CPU for processing?
Correct Answer: Option C — Cache Memory
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Cache Memory is the correct answer to “Which type of memory is used to hold data that is frequently accessed by the CPU for processing”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 3 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What is the purpose of the System Bus in a computer system?
Correct Answer: Option B — Transfers data between CPU, memory, and peripherals
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Transfers data between CPU, memory, and peripherals is the correct answer to “What is the purpose of the System Bus in a computer system”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 4 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of instruction execution involves dividing an instruction into smaller tasks and executing them in parallel?
Correct Answer: Option A — SIMD Execution
Detailed Academic Explanation:
SIMD Execution is the correct answer to “Which type of instruction execution involves dividing an instruction into smaller tasks and executing them in parallel”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 5 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "pipelining" refer to in computer architecture?
Correct Answer: Option D — Technique that allows multiple instructions to overlap in execution
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Technique that allows multiple instructions to overlap in execution is the correct answer to “What does the term "pipelining" refer to in computer architecture”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 6 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which component of a CPU is responsible for fetching instructions from memory and decoding them?
Correct Answer: Option C — Control Unit
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Control Unit is the correct answer to “Which component of a CPU is responsible for fetching instructions from memory and decoding them”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 7 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "bus arbitration" refer to in computer architecture?
Correct Answer: Option B — Resolving conflicts when multiple devices request the use of a bus
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Resolving conflicts when multiple devices request the use of a bus is the correct answer to “What does the term "bus arbitration" refer to in computer architecture”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 8 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of memory is used as a bridge between the CPU and RAM to improve performance?
Correct Answer: Option C — Cache Memory
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Cache Memory is the correct answer to “Which type of memory is used as a bridge between the CPU and RAM to improve performance”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 9 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What is the role of the Fetch stage in the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle of a CPU?
Correct Answer: Option D — Retrieves instructions from memory
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Retrieves instructions from memory is the correct answer to “What is the role of the Fetch stage in the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle of a CPU”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 10 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of cache mapping technique allows a block of main memory to be placed in any cache line?
Correct Answer: Option A — Fully Associative Mapping
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Fully Associative Mapping is the correct answer to “Which type of cache mapping technique allows a block of main memory to be placed in any cache line”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 11 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
In computer architecture, what does the term "clock cycle" refer to?
Correct Answer: Option D — Basic unit of time used by the CPU
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Basic unit of time used by the CPU is the correct answer to “In computer architecture, what does the term "clock cycle" refer to”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 12 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "data hazard" refer to in the context of pipeline processing?
Correct Answer: Option C — Occurrence when data dependencies between instructions result in stalls
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Occurrence when data dependencies between instructions result in stalls is the correct answer to “What does the term "data hazard" refer to in the context of pipeline processing”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 13 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of memory is used to hold BIOS firmware that initializes hardware during booting?
Correct Answer: Option C — ROM
Detailed Academic Explanation:
ROM is the correct answer to “Which type of memory is used to hold BIOS firmware that initializes hardware during booting”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 14 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What is the function of the Control Bus in a computer system?
Correct Answer: Option D — Carries control signals between CPU and other components
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Carries control signals between CPU and other components is the correct answer to “What is the function of the Control Bus in a computer system”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 15 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which cache memory level is closest to the CPU and operates at the highest speed?
Correct Answer: Option A — L1 Cache
Detailed Academic Explanation:
L1 Cache is the correct answer to “Which cache memory level is closest to the CPU and operates at the highest speed”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 16 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "instruction pipelining" aim to achieve in CPU design?
Correct Answer: Option D — Overlap execution of multiple instructions
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Overlap execution of multiple instructions is the correct answer to “What does the term "instruction pipelining" aim to achieve in CPU design”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 17 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of memory is used for storage and retrieval of data that is less frequently accessed?
Correct Answer: Option C — Secondary Storage
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Secondary Storage is the correct answer to “Which type of memory is used for storage and retrieval of data that is less frequently accessed”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 18 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "TLB" stand for in computer architecture?
Correct Answer: Option B — Translation Lookaside Buffer
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Translation Lookaside Buffer is the correct answer to “What does the term "TLB" stand for in computer architecture”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 19 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which component of a CPU stores the results of arithmetic and logical operations temporarily?
Correct Answer: Option C — Registers
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Registers is the correct answer to “Which component of a CPU stores the results of arithmetic and logical operations temporarily”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 20 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "microarchitecture" refer to in CPU design?
Correct Answer: Option D — Internal design of a CPU that implements the ISA
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Internal design of a CPU that implements the ISA is the correct answer to “What does the term "microarchitecture" refer to in CPU design”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 21 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
In a computer system, what does the term "DMA" stand for?
Correct Answer: Option B — Direct Memory Access
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Direct Memory Access is the correct answer to “In a computer system, what does the term "DMA" stand for”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 22 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "branch prediction" refer to in CPU design?
Correct Answer: Option A — Technique to guess the outcome of a branch instruction
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Technique to guess the outcome of a branch instruction is the correct answer to “What does the term "branch prediction" refer to in CPU design”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 23 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of memory is used to store intermediate results and data within the CPU?
Correct Answer: Option D — Registers
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Registers is the correct answer to “Which type of memory is used to store intermediate results and data within the CPU”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 24 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What is the purpose of the MMU (Memory Management Unit) in a CPU?
Correct Answer: Option C — Translates virtual addresses to physical addresses
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Translates virtual addresses to physical addresses is the correct answer to “What is the purpose of the MMU (Memory Management Unit) in a CPU”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 25 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which cache mapping technique uses a direct mapping of main memory blocks to specific cache locations?
Correct Answer: Option B — Direct Mapping
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Direct Mapping is the correct answer to “Which cache mapping technique uses a direct mapping of main memory blocks to specific cache locations”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 26 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
In the context of CPU performance, what does "instruction-level parallelism" refer to?
Correct Answer: Option C — Executing multiple instructions simultaneously
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Executing multiple instructions simultaneously is the correct answer to “In the context of CPU performance, what does "instruction-level parallelism" refer to”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 27 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What is the purpose of a TLB (Translation Lookaside Buffer) in CPU architecture?
Correct Answer: Option D — Speeds up virtual to physical address translation
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Speeds up virtual to physical address translation is the correct answer to “What is the purpose of a TLB (Translation Lookaside Buffer) in CPU architecture”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 28 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of cache memory is integrated within the CPU chip itself?
Correct Answer: Option A — L1 Cache
Detailed Academic Explanation:
L1 Cache is the correct answer to “Which type of cache memory is integrated within the CPU chip itself”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 29 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "pipeline stall" refer to in CPU processing?
Correct Answer: Option D — Delay in the pipeline due to various reasons
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Delay in the pipeline due to various reasons is the correct answer to “What does the term "pipeline stall" refer to in CPU processing”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 30 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which component of a CPU is responsible for fetching and interpreting instructions from memory?
Correct Answer: Option C — Control Unit
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Control Unit is the correct answer to “Which component of a CPU is responsible for fetching and interpreting instructions from memory”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 31 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What is the purpose of the System Clock in a computer system?
Correct Answer: Option B — Synchronizes operations within the CPU and other system components
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Synchronizes operations within the CPU and other system components is the correct answer to “What is the purpose of the System Clock in a computer system”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 32 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which type of memory is non-volatile and typically used to store the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)?
Correct Answer: Option A — ROM
Detailed Academic Explanation:
ROM is the correct answer to “Which type of memory is non-volatile and typically used to store the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 33 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "out-of-order execution" refer to in CPU design?
Correct Answer: Option D — Executing instructions in a sequence different from their order in the program
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Executing instructions in a sequence different from their order in the program is the correct answer to “What does the term "out-of-order execution" refer to in CPU design”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 34 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which cache memory level is shared among multiple cores in a multi-core CPU architecture?
Correct Answer: Option D — L3 Cache
Detailed Academic Explanation:
L3 Cache is the correct answer to “Which cache memory level is shared among multiple cores in a multi-core CPU architecture”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 35 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What is the purpose of a DMA (Direct Memory Access) controller in a computer system?
Correct Answer: Option A — Allows peripherals to transfer data directly to/from memory without CPU intervention
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Allows peripherals to transfer data directly to/from memory without CPU intervention is the correct answer to “What is the purpose of a DMA (Direct Memory Access) controller in a computer system”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 36 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
In the context of computer architecture, what does "RAID" stand for?
Correct Answer: Option D — Redundant Array of Independent Disks
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Redundant Array of Independent Disks is the correct answer to “In the context of computer architecture, what does "RAID" stand for”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 37 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What does the term "cache hit ratio" indicate in the context of CPU performance?
Correct Answer: Option C — Percentage of accesses that result in a cache hit
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Percentage of accesses that result in a cache hit is the correct answer to “What does the term "cache hit ratio" indicate in the context of CPU performance”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 38 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which component of a CPU is responsible for performing arithmetic and logical operations?
Correct Answer: Option B — ALU
Detailed Academic Explanation:
ALU is the correct answer to “Which component of a CPU is responsible for performing arithmetic and logical operations”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 39 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
What is the purpose of the Address Bus in a computer system?
Correct Answer: Option C — Carries memory addresses between CPU and RAM
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Carries memory addresses between CPU and RAM is the correct answer to “What is the purpose of the Address Bus in a computer system”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
Question 40 of 40
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
★ PPSC
★ FPSC
Which cache memory mapping technique allows any main memory block to be placed in any cache location?
Correct Answer: Option D — Fully Associative Mapping
Detailed Academic Explanation:
Fully Associative Mapping is the correct answer to “Which cache memory mapping technique allows any main memory block to be placed in any cache location”. This question is standard in competitive examination syllabi for Computer Architecture.
💡Key Conceptual Anchor:Computer Architecture
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In competitive commission exams (FPSC, PPSC, KPPSC, SPSC, CSS, PMS), questions are frequently phrased with distractor options designed to catch rote learners. Whenever you answer an MCQ, read the Detailed Academic Explanation and Conceptual Anchor to understand why the remaining options are incorrect.