Suppose that a computer program takes 100 seconds of execution time on a…
2019
Suppose that a computer program takes 100 seconds of execution time on a computer with multiplication operation responsible for 80 seconds of this time. How much do you have to improve the speed of the multiplication operation if you are asked to execute this program four times faster?
- A.
14 times faster
- B.
15 times faster
- C.
16 times faster
- D.
17 times faster
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Correct answer: C
Solution: compute the required speedup of the multiplication operation.
Step 1: Determine the target total time. To make the program four times faster, target time = 100 seconds ÷ 4 = 25 seconds.
Step 2: Identify time that cannot be improved. Non-multiplication work uses 100 − 80 = 20 seconds and remains unchanged.
Step 3: Compute the maximum allowable time for multiplication: 25 seconds (target total) − 20 seconds (other work) = 5 seconds.
Step 4: Calculate required speedup for multiplication: original multiplication time ÷ allowable time = 80 ÷ 5 = 16.
Answer: The multiplication operation must be improved by a factor of 16 (i.e., 16 times faster).
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