Includes bibliographical references (p. 629-631) and index.

pt. 1. Tools and techniques -- 1. Mathematical preliminaries -- 2. Basics of digital logic -- 3. Hardware design using Verilog -- pt. 2. Processor design -- 4. A historical and functional perspective -- 5. Basic processor design -- 6. Measuring performance -- 7. Arithmetic and logic -- 8. Memory and storage -- 9. Advanced processor design -- pt. 3. The hardware/software interface -- 10. Linkers and assemblers -- 11. Compilers -- 12. Operating systems -- 13. Efficient programming -- pt. 4. Appendices -- SPIM : a MIPS32 simulator -- Example solutions.

This book blends traditional teaching approaches with the use of mathematics, together with the use of a hardware description language and a concrete processor as vehicles for 'hands-on' modelling and experimenting with digital logic and processor design. This unique approach encourages readers to derive their own conclusions via experimentation, enabling them to discover for themselves the fundamental and exciting topics of computer architecture. This book: includes a wide-ranging introductory chapter; outlines basic methods for evaluating processors; investigates advanced topics in processor design; presents a detailed description of a development tool-chain; provides a stand-alone tutorial on using SPIM; focuses on aspects of compilers which are closely tied to the processor; examines the concept of efficient programming; and, concludes every chapter with a set of example problems. This practical, reader-friendly textbook has been written with undergraduates in mind, and is suitable for self-study.