Across
- 1. A system that allows multiple users or programs to access a computer seemingly at the same time by rapidly switching among them, improving efficiency and user interaction.
- 3. An operating system technique that allows multiple programs to reside in memory at the same time, enabling the CPU to switch tasks when one program is waiting for I/O, thus improving overall efficiency.
- 11. A mechanical switching device that uses an electromagnet to open or close circuits; early computers used relays for processing, but this made them large and very slow.
- 13. A processor architecture based on a simplified set of instructions designed to execute rapidly, providing high performance compared to traditional, more complex instruction sets.
- 14. A design model for computers characterized by a single memory space for instructions and data, sequential instruction processing, and a central control unit.
- 15. A computer architecture that uses hundreds or thousands of processors working simultaneously on different parts of a problem to achieve very high performance.
- 17. A method of computation in which data and tasks are divided across multiple connected machines, allowing large datasets or complex workloads to be processed more efficiently.
- 18. Technologies for manufacturing integrated circuits that place thousands to millions of transistors on a single chip, enabling the creation of microprocessors and dramatically increasing computing power.
Down
- 2. A compact electronic component in which multiple transistors and other elements are fabricated on a single semiconductor chip, enabling faster, smaller, and more affordable computers.
- 4. A method of interacting with a computer that uses visual elements such as windows, icons, and menus, allowing users to operate systems more intuitively than with text-only commands.
- 5. The use of a graphics processing unit for non-graphics, computationally intensive tasks, enabling massive parallel processing for scientific, engineering, and data-heavy workloads.
- 6. Specialized circuitry that performs mathematical operations on real numbers with fractional components, greatly speeding up scientific and engineering computations.
- 7. A type of processor that can perform the same operation on large sets of data simultaneously, greatly accelerating scientific and engineering computations.
- 8. A form of early computer memory that stored data using tiny magnetized ferrite rings, providing faster, more reliable storage than vacuum-tube or delay-line memory.
- 9. A type of CPU optimized to perform mathematical operations on large arrays (vectors) of data at once, making it ideal for scientific and engineering calculations.
- 10. A foundational computer architecture idea in which program instructions are stored in the same memory as data, allowing the machine to be reprogrammed without rewiring.
- 12. A processor design that allows a CPU to execute multiple instructions during a single clock cycle by using several parallel execution units.
- 16. A computing technique that creates virtual versions of hardware or operating systems, allowing multiple independent environments to run on a single physical machine.