Von Neumann architecture

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Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. In Von Neumann architecture, where are program instructions stored?

A In a separate memory used only for instructions

B In main memory (RAM), along with the data

2. Which statement about Von Neumann architecture is true?

A Instructions and data share the same memory

B Instructions and data each have their own memory

3. Who is Von Neumann architecture named after?

A John von Neumann

B Alan Turing

4. How does the CPU get instructions in Von Neumann architecture?

A It fetches every instruction at once

B It fetches them from RAM one at a time

5. The stored program concept means that...

A the program is held in memory so the CPU can fetch it

B the program is built into the CPU and cannot change

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Von Neumann architecture		AThe CPU fetches instructions one at a time, not all at once.
2Stored program concept		BA computer design where program instructions and data share the same main memory and the CPU fetches them one at a time
3Instructions and data are held together in the same main memory		CVon Neumann architecture uses one shared main memory for both instructions and data, not two separate memories.
4The CPU and RAM are separate parts, and the CPU fetches one instruction at a time from RAM		DRAM: [LDA 20] [ADD 21] [STO 22] [5] [7] [ ]
5Von Neumann: instructions are stored in one memory and data in a separate memory		ECPU <-- fetch one instruction at a time <-- RAM
6Von Neumann: the CPU fetches all instructions from RAM at the same time		FProgram instructions are held in main memory (RAM) alongside data, so the CPU can fetch them one by one to run the program

Definitions

Von Neumann architecture

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

Instructions and data share the same ______

The CPU fetches instructions ___ at a time

Named after John ___________

The ___ and RAM are separate components

The ______________ concept uses RAM

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A memory = "two separate RAMs"

B holds = "instructions + data"

C cpu_fetch = "one at a time"

Question 2

A cpu = "processor"

B ram = "main memory"

C shared = False

Question 3

A program = "stored in RAM"

B data = "stored in RAM"

C fetch_per_cycle = "all"

Question 4

A parts = ["CPU", "RAM"]

B cpu_role = "store programs"

C ram_role = "store programs, data"

Question 5

A ram = {}

B ram[0] = "LOAD 7"

C ram[1] = 25

D fetched = ram[0], ram[1]

Answer Key

Von Neumann architecture

Section A: Quick Questions

B — In main memory (RAM), along with the data

A — Instructions and data share the same memory

A — John von Neumann

B — It fetches them from RAM one at a time

A — the program is held in memory so the CPU can fetch it

Section B: Match the Pairs

Von Neumann architecture → A computer design where program instructions and data share the same main memory and the CPU fetches them one at a time

Stored program concept → Program instructions are held in main memory (RAM) alongside data, so the CPU can fetch them one by one to run the program

Instructions and data are held together in the same main memory → RAM: [LDA 20] [ADD 21] [STO 22] [5] [7] [ ]

The CPU and RAM are separate parts, and the CPU fetches one instruction at a time from RAM → CPU <-- fetch one instruction at a time <-- RAM

Von Neumann: instructions are stored in one memory and data in a separate memory → Von Neumann architecture uses one shared main memory for both instructions and data, not two separate memories.

Von Neumann: the CPU fetches all instructions from RAM at the same time → The CPU fetches instructions one at a time, not all at once.

Section C: Definitions

Von Neumann architecture — A computer design where instructions and data share the same main memory (RAM) and the CPU fetches them one at a time. This is the stored program concept, named after John von Neumann.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Instructions and data share the same memory

The CPU fetches instructions one at a time

Named after John von Neumann

The CPU and RAM are separate components

The stored program concept uses RAM

Section E: Spot the Error

A — Von Neumann architecture uses one shared main memory for both instructions and data. Separate memories belong to a different design. It should be memory = "one shared RAM".

C — In Von Neumann architecture the instructions and data share the same memory, so shared should be True.

C — The CPU fetches items from memory one at a time, not all at once. It should be fetch_per_cycle = 1.

B — The CPU fetches and executes instructions. It is RAM that stores the programs and data. It should be cpu_role = "fetch and execute".

D — The CPU fetches one item at a time from memory. It cannot fetch two in one step. It should be fetched = ram[0].