Which of the following is NOT a valid addressing mode?

The correct answer is Cache addressing.

Key Points

• Cache addressing is NOT a valid addressing mode in computer architecture.
  • Addressing modes define how a machine instruction refers to the operands (data) it operates on.
  • Common addressing modes include register addressing (where operands are in registers), memory addressing (where operands are in memory), and immediate addressing (where operands are directly specified in the instruction).
  • Cache memory is a small, high-speed storage area that stores frequently accessed data to improve performance. However, it is not a part of the core addressing modes used in instruction execution.

Additional Information

• Other valid addressing modes include:
  • Direct addressing: The address of the operand is specified explicitly in the instruction.
  • Indirect addressing: The instruction specifies a location that contains the address of the operand.
  • Indexed addressing: The operand’s address is determined by adding an index value to a base address.
• Cache memory works transparently to the CPU and does not require explicit addressing by instructions.
• Addressing modes are used to efficiently access data and reduce instruction complexity.