What This Document Is
This document represents Lecture Four from the CPEG 222 Microprocessor Systems course at the University of Delaware. It’s a focused review of the C programming language, specifically geared towards its application and understanding within the context of microprocessor systems. The lecture bridges the gap between high-level programming concepts and their low-level implementation in MIPS architecture. It assumes some prior knowledge of C but aims to solidify foundational understanding for more advanced topics.
Why This Document Matters
This lecture is essential for students in CPEG 222 who need a strong grasp of C fundamentals to effectively work with microprocessor systems. It’s particularly valuable when you’re beginning to translate C code into assembly language and need to understand how variables, operators, and control flow structures are represented at the hardware level. Reviewing this material before tackling more complex MIPS programming assignments will significantly improve comprehension and efficiency. It’s also a useful refresher for anyone with prior C experience looking to apply it to a systems-level context.
Topics Covered
* C Variable Sizes and Data Types
* C Operators (Logical, Bitwise, and Arithmetic)
* Conditional Statements and Control Flow
* Looping Constructs (For and While loops)
* Function Definition, Prototyping, and Local Variables
* Bitwise Shift Operations
* Increment and Decrement Operators
What This Document Provides
* An overview of how C variable sizes relate to their representation in MIPS.
* Explanations of various C operators and their effects on data manipulation.
* Illustrations of how control flow statements impact program execution.
* Discussions on the scope and lifetime of variables within functions.
* Guidance on utilizing C keywords for efficient code development.
* Conceptual insights into how C code translates to lower-level instructions.
* An announcement regarding an upcoming project deadline.
