Problem 3: (6 pts, 2pts each sub-part)
One fallacy students and researchers often make is expecting to improve the overall performance of a computer
just by improving only one aspect of the computer. Instructions are classified as: Integer, Floating Point,
Load/Store, Branch, in this fictitious processor. Consider a computer running a program that requires 250s, with
70s spent executing Floating Point (FP) instructions, 80s executed Load/Store instructions, and 50s spent
executing branch instructions.
a. By how much is the total time reduced if the time for the FP operations is reduced by 15%?
b. By how much is the time for integer (INT) operations reduced if the total time is reduced by 15%?
c. Can the total time be reduced by 15% by reducing only the time for the branch instructions?
Solution: