Topic 2b
Vole Machine Language Instructions

Learning Objectives

By the end of this topic students should be able to:

• Given the language description table (Appendix C in the textbook) and a single VOLE command, convert the command into English.
• Given the language description table and an English description of a computer operation, produce the corresponding VOLE command.
• Given a partial description of memory/registers and a single VOLE command, identify the value of a particular register or memory cell upon completion of the command.

Learning Materials

• Readings
• Section 2.2- pp 101-108 in your book
• Vole Instruction set - Appendix C, pp 660-662 (one page pdf summary)
• Activity
  • Vole Practice Problems
    • Written Answers to these problems are here.
    • The following videos explain the Practice Problems
      • Activity 1
      • Activity 2
      • Activity 3

 

Checking for Understanding

Answer the following questions from your textbook. The answers to all Q&E questions are in the back of your book in Appendix F.

• p 108, #1
• p 108, #2
• p 108, #5
• p 108, #6
• p 108, #7

In order to match a video that we are going to re-use, let's call this next one "Study Guide #4":

Machine level instructions are/can be thought of as being in one of several categories.

• Consider transfer instructions. Generally, what do these instructions do? Provide an example instruction and indicate more specifically, what it does indicating the role of data, registers, memory addresses, etc.
• Consider arithmetic/logic instructions. Generally, what do these instructions do? Provide an example instruction and indicate more specifically, what it does indicating the role of data, registers, memory addresses, etc.
• Consider control instructions. Generally, what do these instructions do? Provide an example instruction and indicate more specifically, what it does indicating the role of data, registers, memory addresses, etc.

Additional Guidance

The answers to the CFU questions above are provided in the back of the book. We do not feel that additional video explanations are helpful for these questions. However, if you are still confused or have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

The answer to the "Study Guide #4" is explained here.

Further Information

• We do not expect you to have a deep knowledge of the instructions. But for your own curiousity you may want to read more about what each of the 12 instructions does
  • Section 2.4, Arithmetic and Logic Instructions, pp 116-121