4.3.4 - Return Address Stack (RAS)
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Practice Questions
Test your understanding with targeted questions
What is the purpose of a Return Address Stack?
💡 Hint: Think about the role of stacks in programming.
What is a control hazard in pipelined processing?
💡 Hint: Connect it to branching and instruction fetching.
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Interactive Quizzes
Quick quizzes to reinforce your learning
What does the Return Address Stack store?
💡 Hint: Consider what a stack usually keeps track of in programming.
True or False: A RAS reduces control hazards in pipelined processors.
💡 Hint: Think about its main function and how it aids execution flow.
1 more question available
Challenge Problems
Push your limits with advanced challenges
In a processor without a Return Address Stack, a function invoking another function is called. Describe the execution flow and potential issues that may arise.
💡 Hint: Consider the sequence of function calls and what happens to the return address.
If a processor has a fixed size for its RAS, what could happen if a program uses recursive functions extensively?
💡 Hint: Think about the stack's size limit and its implications in recursive situations.
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