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Diploma in Higher Education Studies

Memory: RAM, ROM and cache

HES 213 · Introduction to Computer Science — Week 5 of 16

CourseHES 213
Week5 of 16
SemesterII
TutorOnline in the course chat

This week’s topics

Memory: RAM, ROM and cache

  1. What each type of memory is for
  2. Why more memory helps

What you will be able to do

  • 1.1 Describe the role of hardware and software components.
  • 1.2 Explain the fetch-execute cycle at a basic level.

Activity

Compare RAM, ROM and cache in a table.

Study materials

Further resources

  • Introduction to Computer Science, 5.5: Memory and Storage · PDF · OpenStax Introduction to Computer Science (2024), 5.5: registers, cache, RAM and ROM, pp. 218–225 · for registered students
  • Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective, 6.1.1: Random-Access Memory · PDF · Bryant & O'Hallaron, CS:APP 2e manuscript sample, 6.1.1 on RAM and ROM (a step up), pp. 532–538 · for registered students
  • Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective, 1.5–1.6: Caches and storage hierarchy · PDF · Bryant & O'Hallaron, CS:APP 2e manuscript sample, 1.5–1.6: why cache and more memory make a computer faster, pp. 9–11 · for registered students
Materials marked “for registered students” open in the student portal, which is set up as soon as you receive final acceptance.
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Course plan
  • Week 1: What is a computer system?
  • Week 2: Hardware: the parts of a computer
  • Week 3: Software: system and application software
  • Week 4: The CPU and the fetch-execute cycle
  • Week 5: Memory: RAM, ROM and cache
  • Week 6: What an operating system does
  • Week 7: Comparing operating systems
  • Midterm: Midterm evaluation
  • Week 9: Bits and bytes: units of storage
  • Week 10: Storing text: ASCII and Unicode
  • Week 11: Storing images: pixels and colour depth
  • Week 12: Storing sound: sampling
  • Week 13: Storage devices
  • Week 14: Choosing a computer for a job
  • Week 15: Review and coursework completion
  • Final: Final assessment and submission
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