CS 230 Syllabus

 

Computer Architecture and Assembly Language

 

Fall 2009

 

CIS Department

 

Saint Vincent College

 

General Information

3 credits Prerequisite: CS111 Class Location and Time: Physics 01, T,H 1:00 - 2:15 Instructor: Colleen Carr Office: Physics 101 Office hours: Mon-3:00-6:00 Tue/Thur-9:00-11:30 Phone: 724-805-2421 or extension 2421 on campus Email: carrc@stvincent.edu Text: IBM PC Assembler Language and Programming, 5th Ed., by Peter Abel, Prentice-Hall.

Description

The intent of this course is to introduce the participant to low level programming concepts. These concepts will primarily be learned by studying the architecture and assembler language of the IBM PC. The student will start the course by studying how information is stored at a low level. After that, the architecture of the IBM PC will be presented as well as its assembler language. Once proficiency is gained in programming in assembler language on the IBM PC, low level operating system routines for the IBM PC will be analyzed. Here, the student will learn how to interface with such routines, modify them, and even write their own. This course will also present the basic principles behind language translators and program linkage so that a clearer picture of the connection between high-level code and low-level code is obtained. Finally, this course will cover the basics of digital logic to give the student a better understanding of how hardware systems and computer architectures are created.

Grading

Final		32%
Quizzes		33%
Programming Assignments		25%
Pencil and Paper Assignment Involving Binary Numbers		5%

The grading scale will be the typical 93-100=A, 90-92=A-, 87-89=B+, 83-86=B ..etc.. Attendance will also affect the course grade (as explained under course policies). If a student does not receive a passing grade for the quizzes plus final part of their grade, then the student will not pass the course even if there overall average is a pass

An extra 5% will be added to either the Final precentage or the Quizzes percentage depending on which one is higher.

Course Policies

All exams and quizzes will be closed book in nature.

Taping of lectures is permitted.

Attendance is expected. Material will be presented in class that is not found in the text. Quizzes and tests will be drawn from the material and discussions in class. In addition, for every absence beyond the sixth, a student will loose one-fourth of a letter grade. Note that the six allowed absences (essentially two weeks of class) are to allow for the possibility of sickness and other special circumstances. In addition, if a student has more than six unexcused absences, the CISD chairperson will be notified. If a student has more than nine unexcused absences, the academic dean will be notified. This, in turn, may result in a parent conference.

Except in cases of emergency, the student should make arrangements with the instructor in advance if an exam/quiz must be missed. If there is sufficient reason the instructor will schedule an exam/quiz for the student at another time. Cheating will not be tolerated in this course. If cheating is discovered, I (the instructor) will make sure that the student, if guilty, receive the most severe reprimand possible from the academic dean. Cheating not only undermines the whole learning process but it decreases the morale of the other students in the class who spend many long hours producing their own work.

Use of the Internet or any entertainment software is prohibited during class. However, if they like, a student may use a word processor to type their notes during lecture.

If a student has a learning disability, physical disability, or any other exceptional circumstance that would require special considerations (example: more time to take an exam), these considerations must be discussed with the instructor before the first quiz/exam is given. Below is the official disability statement for the college:

Students with disabilities who may be eligible for academic accommodations and support services should please contact the Associate Dean of Studies, Mrs. Sandy Quinlivan, by phone (724-805-2371), email (sandy.quinlivan@email.stvincent.edu) or by appointment (Academic Affairs-Headmaster Hall).  Reasonable accommodations do not alter the essential elements of any course, program or activity.    

Students will be given a one-week grace period to turn in late assignments. If an assignment is more than one week late, however, the assignment grade will be decreased by one letter grade for every week that it is late.

If stormy weather or some other emergency occurs, class cancellation can be verified by calling my office phone at 724-805-2421. My voice mail greeting will indicate if class has been cancelled or not. If my voice mail greeting has not been changed to indicate that the class has been cancelled, then it will be held.

Course Schedule

 

NUM	TITLE	DESCRIPTION	IN-CLASS PROGRAMS	ASSIGNMENTS
1	Binary Coding Systems	A discussion of the various ways information is stored inside the computer	None	The Binary Number Assignment
2	Computer Architecture	A look at how a computer is physically put together and how it is controlled	None	None
3	Introduction to Low Level Programming	Presentation of the following assembler language commands: MOV, DEC, INC, NOP, POP, PUSH, CMP, Roll and Shift Commands, AND, OR, XOR, NOT, Jump commands	Even Parity Bit Program Hamming Code Program Multiplication Program	The Encryption Program
4	Low Level Functions and Procedures	A discussion of how low level functions and procedures are implemented and how values are passed back and forth	Passing Data Program
5	Interrupts and Inputting Data from the Keyboard	A discussion of how interrupts work and how they can be used to "tap into" prewritten BIOS routines	Input Three Digits and Sort Program
6	Arrays and Outputting Data to the Screen	A discussion of how arrays are implemented in Assembler and how data can be output to the screen by writing to video RAM	Hello Program Sentence Manipulation Program Input (5) Three Digit Numbers and Sort Program with Output to the Screen Horizontal Ball Movement Program Ball Movement Program with Key Press	Modified Encryption Program that uses Arrays The Video Game Program
7	Digital Logic	A discussion of how digital hardware is designed and built	Voting Machine Problem Prime Number Problem Even or Odd Problem Adding 1 to a Number Problem LED Design Problem Address Decoder Mod 7 Counter Traffic Light Controller
8	Compilers, Assemblers and Machine Language	A discussion of what compilers and assemblers do and how they are created. Also, a study in writing machine code from scratch.
9	File Processing	A discussion of how data is input and output to files in assembler
10	Macros	A discussion of Assembler pseudo ops and macros