Introduction to Computer Organization

Studying computer organization is essential for anyone in the technology field, as it provides a fundamental understanding of how computers work. It's not just for hardware engineers; it's a critical skill for a variety of roles, including software developers and IT professionals. Understanding hardware enables you to optimize performance, troubleshoot problems effectively, and innovate new technologies.

This course provides a foundational understanding of how computers work at a low level through the lens of MIPS architecture. You'll learn how to analyze a microprocessor's performance, trace program flow through assembly code, manage the stack, and understand how computers perform arithmetic from a hardware perspective. Upon completion, one will be able to:

• Explain the role of the clock and the instruction cycle in a computer's operation.
• Discuss the trade-offs between CPU performance and power consumption.
• Describe how memory addresses are used to access data.
• Write simple assembly language programs using MIPS instructions.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of procedure call conventions.
• Explain the IEEE 754 standard for representing floating-point numbers.
• Perform, debug, and trace arithmetic operations step-by-step.

This is an intermediate-level course, intended for learners with a background in computer science or electronics engineering. To succeed in this course, you should have experience with a high-level programming language like C, C++, or Python.