V22.0436 - Computer Architecture - Fall 2006

Instructor:

Textbook:

Lectures:

(pages for individual lectures will be added over the course of the semester;
to see what's coming, students can consult  earlier lectures by Prof. Grishman and last year's lectures by Prof. Goldberg)

Assignments:

• are listed on the course schedule  (date shown is date assignment is given out)
• 8 assignments
• 6 of these will use a logic simulator: Logisim: A Simple Graphical Circuit Simulator, by Carl Burch
  these assignments will involve simulation of circuits, starting with very simple circuits and leading (in assignment #7) to simulation of an entire simple CPU
• assignment #4 will be a small MIPS assembly-language exercise; we will make available a simulator to check this program
• assignment #8 will be a "pencil and paper" exercise
• penalty for late assignments:
assignments accepted without penalty till 11:59 pm of due date
10% for each weekday the assignment is late (maximum penalty, 80%)

Mailing List:

Grading:

• 50% assignments
(assignment #7 is the largest, and will be counted more heavily than the others)
The assignments you submit should be your own work;  see the department's Policy on Academic Integrity. 
You may discuss with other students problems you are having with the simulator, or the general approach to an assignment, but should not share your (partial) solutions.

• 20% mid-term
• 30% final exam

Course goals:

practical: understand how the constant quest for higher performance is affecting architecture development

Web page: