A student is busy preparing for the exam, and is getting a little anxious
about what he will need to commit to his three sheets that he can bring in,
or conversely memorize so he does not have to include in his three sheets.
So, he asks a bunch of questions, and then effectively answers them at
the end of the email.  In the interest of reassuring him, and any one
else who is concerned, I am responding to you all.
                                                                                             
He writes:


        After having reviewed my notes from the class,
        your printed handouts and your past exams, I have
        a question regarding the level of detail we will
        be expected to know.  I grasp the concepts behind
        and functions of the LC-3b, but I was wondering how much
        I will need to memorize or include on my study guide
        sheets.  For example, will I need to memorize the
        bit-by-bit encoding of each of the LC-3b instructions?
                                                                                             
        Will I need to memorize each state in the state table,
        and it's associated action?  I have a working understanding
        of the data path, but will I need to know the name and
        position of each mux, register and logic gate?
                                                                                             
        The study guide mentions that we are allowed to bring in
        any handouts that have been expressly permitted by the
        instructor.  I don't know of any that you have expressly
        permitted, so I am assuming that we are not allowed to bring
        any additional handouts beyond our 3 study study guide sheets.
                                                                                             
        I also noticed that some of the old tests include the data path,
        state table and/or instruction set format at the end.  I would
        assume that these would also be included on our test if there
        were a related question.  Are my assumptions correct?  I am 


Aha!  You got it.  Yes, my intent is to never require you
to memorize anything that you could reasonably expect to look up
in a manual.  So, if I think you would reasonably be expected to look
something up, that something will be included in the exam.  I hope
to test understanding, not memorization.
                                                                                             
So, yes, you do not need to memorize the bit-by  encoding of each
instruction.  If I think you will need it, I will provide it as part
of the exam.
                                                                                             
And, yes, you do not need to memorize each state in the state table.
If I think you will need the state table to do the job, I will provide
it as part of the exam.
                                                                                             
No, you do not need to know the name and position of each mux, register,
and logic gate.
                                                                                             
And, yes, you are NOT allowed to bring in any additional handouts other
than your 3 study guide sheets.

The intent of the 3 pages is to give you some measure of comfort of
what you feel maybe you should be expected to know but are a little
shaky on, and want to have it readily handy just in case you and I
don't agree on what I think you should have internalized.  Note the
word *internalized* rather than *memorized.*  Some students actually
come in with no sheets, other students come in with 3 sheets and never
look at them, and still other students come in with 3 sheets that they
find helpful.  Obviously, I do not know which group you will be in.
                                                                                             
Sorry to provide so longwinded an answer.  But since the email sounded
somewhat anxious, I thought it would be better to err on the side of
a long message.
                                                                                             
Good luck on the exam.
                                                                                             
Yale Patt

                                                                                             
        finding that 3 pages is not as much real estate as I thought
        it would be, and taking a page fault to my brain becomes somewhat
        unreliable.  I would appreciate any response you had to my
        questions.
                                                                                             
        Thanks.
        <<name withheld to protect one with a 3 page dilemna>>