4COM1042 Platforms for Computing

Ass 3 Comprehension Exercises - Instructions

1. Each exercise is written as a spreadsheet. You can either print out the exercise and fill in a
paper version, or enter your solutions on the spreadsheet.
2. Work through each program and complete the tables to the right of the program.
The first table requires you to enter the contents of each register at each instruction
The second table shows results of tests
The third shows data stored in memory tagged with labels.
Remember: Contents of registers/memory locations remain the same, until overwritten
3. At the end of the program, write a short description of what the program does.
Note: numbers starting with 0x are in hexadecimal (used for memory addresses), numbers
starting with 0b are in binary, others (used for data) are our usual decimal numbers.
4. Exercises are in sets, with a reference to the pages in CdM-8 Ecosystem Installment 2
textbook
A3CompEx0..
simple if..
CompEx1.. comlex conditions
CompEx2.. simple loops
CompEx3.. loops complex operations including if's
5. If you want to check your results: copy the program into Geany, compile, build and
execute. Once you get the Emulator screen , RUN the program and check the final results
in the expected memory location. If you want to check registers/locations at each
instruction, use Step. Then change the data (as shown in versions1,2,3)and re-run to see
the result

Note:
These are very basic comprehension exercises covering only some
of the early topics. Assessment 3 will require you to write
programs and may be more challenging.

4COM1042 Platforms for Computing

Debugging Exercises - Instructions

1. Read the program specification. To de-bug, you will need some test data and expected
results. Early exercises provide test data. In later ones you will need to design your own
test data and expected results.
2. You cannot de-bug, if you do not know the correct results. First work out the result you
would expect. Then, work through each exercise using the tables on the right of each
program to identify the errors.
3. You can copy and paste the code into Geany for de-bugging. Correct the errors in the
program, by completing the columns in the spreadsheet.
4. To check your answers,
Work out the correct answer (based on the data given in memory)
Copy the program into into Geany (copy/paste), correct the errors.
Compile, build & execute, and then RUN the Emulator
Check the data in memory to see if you have fixed the errors
Remember: the Emulator works in Hexadecimal
5. The exercises are in sets:
CompEx0.. are simple if..
CompEx1.. complex conditions
CompEx2.. simple loops
CompEx3.. loops with if..
6. Errors are likely to be, some or all of the following:
The wrong registers used
The wrong instructions
Instructions in the wrong order
Instructions omitted
wrong tests used; especially boundary values