A digital computer has a common bus system for 8 registers 16 bits each. How…

2021

A digital computer has a common bus system for 8 registers 16 bits each. How many multiplexers are required to implement common bus? What size of multiplexers is required? 

  1. A.

    16, 8x1 

  2. B.

    8, 16x1 

  3. C.

    8, 8x1

  4. D.

    16, 16x1

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Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A

Answer: 16 multiplexers, each 8-to-1.

Explanation:

  • There are 8 registers and each register is 16 bits wide, so the common bus is 16 bits wide.

  • For each bit position of the 16-bit bus you must select that bit from one of the 8 registers.

  • Therefore you need 16 separate multiplexers (one per bit), and each multiplexer must select from 8 inputs, so each is an 8-to-1 multiplexer.

  • Optional detail: each 8-to-1 multiplexer requires 3 selection lines because 2^3 = 8.

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