📘 HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING (410250)

Insem PYQs – Units 1 & 2 (2019 Pattern)

🔵 UNIT–1: Parallel Computer Architecture & Models

1. Flynn’s Classification & Processor Architectures

a. Explain SIMD, MIMD architecture with suitable diagram. [4] (2023)

b. Explain SIMD, MIMD and SIMT architectures. [5] (2025)

c. Explain with suitable diagram STMD, MIMD architecture. [4] (2024)

📌 Trend Insight: Architecture comparison is guaranteed theory. Diagrams = compulsory marks.

2. Memory Systems & Performance

a. Explain the impact of Memory Latency & Memory Bandwidth on system performance.
[6] (2023, 2024)

b. Describe Uniform Memory Access (UMA) and Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA)
with diagram. [6] (2023)

c. Describe UMA and NUMA multicomputer platforms. [5] (2024)

d. Explain Cache coherence in multiprocessor systems. [5] (2025)

e. Write a short note on Cache Memory. [5] (2023)

📌 Strong Opinion: This is the highest-yield cluster in Unit-1. Prepare numerically +

3. Instruction-Level Parallelism (ILP)

a. Explain basic working principle of Superscalar Architecture. [6] (2024)

b. Explain N-wide Superscalar Architectures. [6] (2025)

c. What is VLIW processor? Write any two advantages. [4] (2024)

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📌 Examiner Pattern: One ILP question appears every year without fail.

4. Parallel Computing Models

a. What are types of Dataflow Execution Models? [6] (2025)

b. Write a short note on Dataflow Models. [5] (2023)

c. Write a short note on Demand-Driven Computation. [5] (2023)

d. Write a short note on Levels of Parallelism. [4] (2025)

5. Communication & Message Passing

a. Explain Message Passing Costs in parallel computers. [5] (2023)

b. Write note on Communication costs in parallel machines. [5] (2024)

6. Scope & Applications

a. Describe the scope of parallel computing. Give applications. [4] (2023)

b. What are the applications of parallel computing? [4] (2025)

🟢 UNIT–2: Parallel Algorithms, Decomposition & Mapping

1. Decomposition Techniques

a. Explain any three Data Decomposition techniques with examples. [6] (2023, 2024,
2025)

b. Explain with example (any two):

i. Recursive decomposition

ii. Data decomposition

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 iii. Exploratory decomposition [6] (2025)

📌 Absolute Core Topic: Appears in every single paper.

2. Task Characteristics & Interactions

a. Explain different characteristics of tasks. [4] (2023, 2024, 2025)

b. What are characteristics of task and interaction? [4] (2025)

c. What are characteristics of Inter-Task Interactions? [4] (2024)

3. Mapping & Load Balancing

a. Explain classification of Dynamic Mapping Techniques. [5] (2023, 2025)

b. Explain different schemes for Static Mapping. [5] (2025)

c. Describe mapping techniques for Load Balancing. [5] (2024)

d. What are mapping techniques for load balancing? Explain any two. [4] (2023)

4. Parallel Algorithm Models

a. Explain any three Parallel Algorithm Models with suitable examples. [6] (2023)

b. Explain in detail Parallel Algorithm Models. [6] (2024)

5. Overheads & Performance

a. Explain different methods for Containing Interaction Overheads. [5] (2024)

6. Problem-Based / Graph Questions

a. Draw the task-dependency graph for finding the minimum number in the sequence

{4, 9, 1, 7, 8, 11, 2, 12} where each node in the tree represents the task of finding the
minimum of a pair of numbers. Compare this with serial version of finding minimum

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 number from an array. [5](2023)

📌 High-Scoring Alert: This is a step-wise diagram question. Almost full marks if structured.