Miami University*
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS DEPARTMENT

SAN278: Computer Architecture
Spring 2000 (January 10 - May 5)
Sections

  1. Tuesday/Thursday (T/R) 9:30 pm - 10:45 am, 135 KRG
  2. T/R 11:00 am -12:15 pm, 135 KRG

INSTRUCTOR : Dr. FAZLI CAN
Office : Kreger 230-H, Phone: 529-5950, e-mail: canf@muohio.edu
Office Hours : T: 3:00-5:00 pm, Wednesday (W): 2:00 - 4:00 pm, R: 3:00 - 5:00 other times by appointment only.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
To learn principles of Von Neumann computer architecture, assembly language programming, data representation and computer arithmetic, memory addressing and hierarchy, CPU structure and instruction sets, large/parallel processors.
PREREQUISITE
SAN174: Fundamentals of Programming and Problem Solving.
TEXTBOOK & OTHERCOURSE MATERIAL
Patterson, D. A., Hennessy, J. L. Computer organization & design the hardware/software interface 2nd ed., Morgan Kaufmann, San Fransisco, CA, 1998.

Please also see the Blackboard material.

IMPORTANT DATES

Last day to drop a course without a grade : January 31, Monday.

Last day to drop a course with a grade of "W" : February 22, Tuesday.

Monday/Tuesday class exchange day (Monday classes will meet on this day): February 22, Tuesday.

Last day to drop a course with a grade of "WP" or "WF" : April 28, Friday

EXAM DATES
Exam 1: February 17, Thursday

Exam 2: April 6, Thursday

Final exam (comprehensive):

On-line Quizes: Any time with a deadline

GRADING POLICY
Exam 1: 18%
Exam 2: 18%
Final exam (comprehensive): 30%
On-line Quizes (~8, will ignore lowest two): 5%
On-line work such as Q&As: 3%
Assignments (~7) : 26%
------------------------- ----
Total 100 %

Letter grades will be determined according to the following table.
90 - 100 %: A
80 - 89 %: B
70 - 79 %: C
60 - 69 %: D
0 - 59 %: F

GENERAL POLICIES

  1. You are expected to do your homework assignments alone. Group working will be considered as cheating. You may discuss your ideas and approaches, but do not walk the line. Group projects will be specified explicitly.
  2. Your programs will be graded according to their correctness, algorithm design, readability, and neatness of presentation.
  3. Your assignments should be turned in on due date. In some cases late assignments may be accepted. (Such cases will be announced. In such cases I will deduct 10 points for each late day. I will count weekends as one day. You can not be late more than three days.). Homework problems may be graded selectively (like 1 or 2 problems out of 5, however you have to solve all of them). The weights of individual assignments may vary.
  4. If individual review is needed due to a question on the grade (including exams) this must be no later than one week after receiving your assignment or exam. This time limit is for consistency in grading.
  5. Regarding debugging of assigned programs: during my office hours I may give you some suggestions for debugging and coach you to improve your self-confidence on debugging/programming. Please don't expect me to debug your programs.
  6. Class attendance is mandatory. If you miss a class with an excuse please take the lecture notes from a classmate. You are responsible from the announcements that I may make in the classroom.
  7. You have to take the exams with your own group.

OFFICE HOUR POLICIES
Six office hours per week are reserved to help you. In case I am not able to be in my office during any office hour period, I will announce alternate hours to make up for them. Please do not assume that I am available to answer your questions any time you may barge into my office. During office hours, you are welcome to stop by and discuss your questions with me. If you cannot make it during my hours, you are further welcome to contact me and make an appointment for a more suitable time.

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK NO. /DAY TOPIC READING
1/Jan. 10 Computer Abstraction Ch. 1
2/Jan. 17 Assembly Process & Performance (P) Notes, Ch. 2
3/Jan. 24 P Ch. 2
4/Jan. 31 P, Instructions &Assembly Language Programming (I&ALP) Chs. 2, 3, App. A
5/Feb. 7 I&ALP Ch. 3, App. A
6/Feb. 14 I&ALP Ch. 3, App. A
7/Feb. 21 I&ALP Ch. 3, App. A
8/Feb. 28 Computer Arithmetic (CA) Ch. 4
9/Mar. 6 CA Ch. 4
10/Mar. 13 Spring Break  
11/Mar. 20 CPU Structure (CPUS) Ch. 5
12/Mar. 27 CPUS Ch. 5
13/Apr. 3 CPUS, Pipelining (PL) Chs. 5, 6
14/Apr. 10 PL Ch. 6
15/Apr. 17 Memory Hierarchy (MH) Ch. 7
16/Apr. 24 MH, Parallel Processors Chs. 7, 9
This schedule is subject to change as the semester progresses.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

None.

Date of last update: January 17, 2000.

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* The announcements section may change every day throughout the semester. The contents of this page also applies to SAN604.