1.2.6 Check Your Understanding: Memory Answers 2025 Full 100%

ITE v8 – IT Essentials v8.0 – 1.2.6 Check Your Understanding: Memory Answers 2025 Full 100%

The ITE v8 – IT Essentials v8.0 – 1.2.6 Check Your Understanding: Memory Answers 2025 Full 100% focuses on assessing knowledge of different types of computer memory, their functions, and how they impact system performance. This section covers volatile and non-volatile memory, including RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), cache memory, and virtual memory, ensuring students understand their roles in processing speed and data storage. By reviewing these answers, learners can reinforce key concepts such as memory hierarchy, storage capacity, speed classifications, and compatibility with modern computer architectures, which are essential for troubleshooting and optimizing system performance.

  1. Which statement describes EPROM?

    • It is a type of RAM
    • It is a type of volatile memory
    • It can only be programmed once
    • Data can be erased using a strong ultraviolet light
    • Data is programmed on it when it is manufactured
      Explanation & Hint:

      The correct answer is: “Data can be erased using a strong ultraviolet light.”

      EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) is a type of non-volatile memory that retains data even when power is removed. Unlike RAM, which is volatile and loses data when the system is powered off, EPROM stores data permanently until erased.

      • EPROM can be erased and reprogrammed, making it different from one-time programmable memory.
      • Erasure is performed by exposing the EPROM chip to strong ultraviolet (UV) light for a specific duration. This process resets the memory, allowing it to be reprogrammed.
      • EPROM was widely used in older computer systems, embedded devices, and firmware storage before being largely replaced by EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) and Flash memory, which allow electrical erasure instead of UV exposure.

       

      Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

      1. “It is a type of RAM” → Incorrect. EPROM is a type of Read-Only Memory (ROM), not Random Access Memory (RAM).
      2. “It is a type of volatile memory” → Incorrect. EPROM retains data even after power is turned off, making it non-volatile.
      3. “It can only be programmed once” → Incorrect. EPROM can be erased and reprogrammed multiple times using UV light.
      4. “Data is programmed on it when it is manufactured” → Incorrect. Unlike mask ROM, EPROM is programmed after manufacturing and can be erased and rewritten.

       

      EPROM was an essential memory type in early computing, offering reprogrammability through UV light exposure. However, modern memory solutions such as EEPROM and Flash have largely replaced it due to easier electrical erasure and programming.

  2. A user complains that the computer is running very slowly. What solution would help speed it up?

    • Add more RAM
    • Add more ROM
    • Switch to L1 cache
    • Use error correction code memory
    • Erase and refresh the code in ROM
    • Explanation & Hint:

      Correct Answer: Add more RAM

      When a computer is running slowly, one of the most common causes is insufficient RAM (Random Access Memory). RAM temporarily stores data and applications that the CPU is actively using, allowing for faster access than retrieving data from a hard drive or SSD. If the system runs out of available RAM, it starts using virtual memory (page file) on the hard drive, which significantly slows down performance.

      By adding more RAM, the system can handle more applications simultaneously, reducing reliance on virtual memory and improving overall speed.

      Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

      1. “Add more ROM” → Incorrect
        • ROM (Read-Only Memory) is used for firmware and system boot processes, not for running applications. Increasing ROM does not improve speed.
      2. “Switch to L1 cache” → Incorrect
        • L1 cache is a small, fast memory inside the CPU used for frequently accessed data. It is not user-upgradable or switchable.
      3. “Use error correction code (ECC) memory” → Incorrect
        • ECC RAM detects and corrects memory errors but does not inherently make a system faster. It is mostly used in servers and mission-critical systems for reliability.
      4. “Erase and refresh the code in ROM” → Incorrect
        • ROM contains firmware and is not responsible for application performance. Erasing it would not improve speed.

      Conclusion:

      To speed up a slow computer, adding more RAM is the most effective solution, especially for multitasking and handling memory-intensive applications like gaming, video editing, and browsing with multiple tabs.

  3. Which RAM in the group provides the fastest performance?

    • GDDR SDRAM
    • SDRAM
    • DDR3 SDRAM
    • SRAM
    • DDR4 SDRAM
    • Explanation & Hint:

      Correct Answer: SRAM (Static Random Access Memory)

      Among the listed types of RAM, SRAM (Static RAM) provides the fastest performance because it does not require constant refreshing, unlike DRAM (Dynamic RAM) variants such as SDRAM, DDR3, and DDR4.

      • SRAM is used in CPU cache (L1, L2, L3 caches) due to its high speed and low latency.
      • It is much faster than GDDR, SDRAM, and DDR RAM, but it is also more expensive and requires more power.
      • Because of its high cost, SRAM is only used in small amounts inside processors as cache memory, not as the main system memory (RAM).

      Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

      1. GDDR SDRAM (Graphics DDR SDRAM) → Fast but not the fastest
        • GDDR is optimized for high bandwidth and parallel processing, making it ideal for GPUs (graphics cards).
        • While GDDR6 and GDDR7 are very fast for graphics, they still have higher latency than SRAM.
      2. SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM) → Slower than DDR variants
        • SDRAM is an older technology that operates in sync with the CPU clock.
        • It has been replaced by DDR (Double Data Rate) versions, which provide higher speeds and better efficiency.
      3. DDR3 SDRAM → Outdated compared to DDR4
        • DDR3 operates at 800 MHz – 2133 MHz with lower bandwidth than DDR4.
        • It is no longer used in modern systems due to lower performance and efficiency.
      4. DDR4 SDRAM → Faster than DDR3 but not faster than SRAM
        • DDR4 offers higher speeds (up to 3200 MHz or more) and lower power consumption than DDR3.
        • However, it is still much slower than SRAM in terms of access time and latency.

      Conclusion:

      SRAM is the fastest RAM type in terms of speed and access time, but due to its cost, it is mainly used for CPU cache rather than system memory. For general system performance, DDR4 or DDR5 SDRAM is the best choice, while GDDR is best for graphics processing.