Instructions per cycle separates two CPUs with identical cores, threads, and clock speed
Short answer
D With cores, threads, and clock equal, instructions per cycle is the remaining factor that identifies the CPU with more computational power.
Question
Key Takeaways
Performance equals clock speed times instructions per cycle, so when one factor is held equal, the other is the whole difference.
Two CPU models match on core count, thread count, and clock speed, so raw frequency comparison is exhausted. Computational power at equal clocks is decided by instructions per cycle, the architectural efficiency measure of how much work each cycle completes.
Common mistake: L3 cache (C) influences IPC indirectly, but it is a size specification, not the performance measure itself, and two CPUs can hold the same cache while differing in efficiency.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
A processor's useful throughput is the product of how many cycles it runs per second and how many instructions it retires per cycle. The scenario fixes the first factor, equal cores, threads, and clock, so the entire remaining difference in computational power lives in IPC. A model with higher IPC executes more work in every tick of the same clock, which is precisely the comparison the administrator needs to make.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
A, simultaneous multithreading, is already accounted for by the equal thread counts stated in the scenario, and SMT itself does not add computational power at fixed thread capacity. B, bus speed, describes one data pathway rather than overall instruction throughput, and modern CPUs decouple most performance from front-side bus rates. C, L3 cache size, is a contributing design detail whose effect is already reflected in the measured IPC, so citing it answers with an intermediate quantity instead of the decisive one.
Community Comment Notes
TheFivePips offers the highway analogy: clock speed is the speed limit while IPC is how many passengers each car carries, so at the same speed limit the fuller cars win. 54a6b25 states plainly that higher IPC means more work per clock cycle and greater computational power. The unanimous vote backs D.
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 3 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 3
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TheFivePips 👍 4 Answered DClock speed (measured in GHz) refers to how fast the CPU can process instructions per second. It's like the speed limit on a highway; a higher speed limit allows more cars to pass through in a given amount of time. Instructions per cycle (IPC) refers to how many instructions a CPU can execute in one clock cycle. It's like how efficient each car is at carrying passengers; a car with more seats can carry more people in a single trip. Relationship: Clock speed determines how many clock cycles occur in a second, essentially setting the pace of the CPU. IPC determines how many instructions the CPU can process within each of those clock cycles, indicating its efficiency.
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54a6b25 👍 2D. Instructions per cycle (IPC): IPC is a measure of how many instructions a CPU can execute in one clock cycle. A higher IPC indicates a more efficient CPU that can perform more work per clock cycle, thus providing greater computational power.
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kuzummjakk 👍 1 Answered DI second this
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