What maximum physical RAM address space can theoretically be directly addressed by a computer architecture possessing a 32-bit address bus?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. 4 Gigabytes (4 GB)
- Step 1: The number of unique byte addresses accessible by a CPU is determined by , where represents the width of the address bus in bits.
- Step 2: For a 32-bit bus, , which exactly equals of addressable memory.
Answer
4 Gigabytes (4 GB)
Why not the others: '2 Gigabytes (2 GB)' 2 GB represents the addressable range of a 31-bit address space, or the user-space limit in some 32-bit operating systems; '8 Gigabytes (8 GB)' 8 GB requires a 33-bit address bus ( distinct byte addresses); '64 Gigabytes (64 GB)' 64 GB corresponds to a 36-bit address space, achievable in older x86 servers via Physical Address Extension (PAE).
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