CS365 Computer Systems Architecture
Monday 7:20pm -- 10:00pm
Prof. Songqing Chen
Office: ST II, Rm. 445
email: sqchen@cs.gmu.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 3:00pm - 5:00pm or by appointment
Course homepage:
http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~sqchen/courses/CS365F07
Description
This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts in
computer architecture.
Topics include:
- Basic system components
- Performance measurements
- Instructions and their representation
- Number representation
- Implementation of Arithmetic operations
- Processor organization
- Pipelining
- The memory hierarchy
Prerequisites
(Assembly Language Programming (CS 265) and Digital Electronics (ECE
301)) OR ECE 303. Students not satisfying the prerequisites will be dropped from
the class.
Textbook
Computer Organization & Design: The Hardware
Software Interface by D. Patterson and J. Hennessy (3rd Edition, Morgan
Kaufmann, 2004).
Course notices and assignments will be provided via email.
Students are responsible to have a GMU email account and check that account
periodically.
Course materials (for example, copies of slides) will be available on
the course homepage
24 hours before they are presented in class.
Students are responsible for assigned
readings and all material outlined in lecture slides.
Grading Policy
Participation 5%, Midterm exam 20%, Assignments and quizzs 45%, Final 30%. All exams
will be closed book. The final exam will be comprehensive, i.e., it
will cover the entire course. Missed exams must be arranged with the
instructor BEFORE the exam date. Late assignments lose 20% credit
within 3 days after deadlines and will not be accepted three days
after due, unless under prearranged conditions.
All students are expected to abide by the Honor Code as stated in
the GMU catalog and elaborated for Computer Science.
Grading is proficiency-based, cutoffs will be in the
vicinity of (but not higher than)
A > 95%, A- > 90%, B+ > 85%, B > 80%, B- > 75%, C > 70%, and D > 60%.
School Calender
Honor Code
Disability
Songqing Chen
Dept. of Computer Science
George Mason University