Computer Systems Fundamentals

Syllabus

1. Module 1

   Information as Bits

   • Bits, Bytes, and Positional Number Systems
   • Binary and Hexadecimal Conversion
   • Unsigned and Signed Integer Encodings
   • Overflow and Fixed-Width Arithmetic
   • Bitwise Operations and Masks

2. Module 2

   Representing Data

   • Characters, Unicode, and Text Encoding
   • Floating-Point Representation
   • Images, Audio, and Sampling
   • Structured Data and Serialization
   • Error Detection and Redundancy

3. Module 3

   Digital Logic

   • Boolean Algebra and Logic Gates
   • Combinational Circuits
   • Adders, Multiplexers, and Decoders
   • Sequential Logic and State
   • Clocks, Registers, and Finite-State Machines

4. Module 4

   Instructions and Execution

   • Machine Instructions and Instruction Sets
   • Registers and the Arithmetic Logic Unit
   • Fetch, Decode, and Execute
   • Branches, Loops, and Procedure Calls
   • Assembly Language as a Hardware Interface

5. Module 5

   Memory and Storage

   • Addresses and Random-Access Memory
   • The Storage Hierarchy
   • Caches and Locality
   • Persistent Storage and Files
   • Virtual Memory: A First Model

6. Module 6

   From Source to Running Process

   • Compilers, Assemblers, and Interpreters
   • Object Files and Linking
   • Program Loading
   • Processes and Operating-System Services
   • System Calls and Privilege Boundaries

7. Module 7

   Input, Output, and Communication

   • Devices and Controllers
   • Interrupts and Direct Memory Access
   • Files, Streams, and Buffers
   • Networks as Layered Communication
   • Latency, Bandwidth, and Throughput

8. Module 8

   Systems Reasoning

   • Abstraction Layers in a Computer
   • Performance Bottlenecks and Amdahl’s Law
   • Reliability and Fault Models
   • Security Boundaries and Least Privilege
   • Concurrency and Parallelism: An Introduction