Development of CPU Simulator Using Microsoft Excel and a Task of Using this Simulator for Computer Architecture

Abstract

A task of using Microsoft Excel was conducted for a computer architecture class. In this task, an Excel file was used for designing an original CPU and running a program step by step for the designed CPU. First, they designed their CPU on Excel, and then they ran the program written in assembler for their original CPU. After the Excel file was used in a class, a questionnaire survey was conducted. According to the results of the questionnaire survey, almost all students understood how to use this Excel file and almost all students felt that the Excel file was very useful to understand computer architecture.