Overview

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Welcome to z/Architecture Assembler Language Part 1: The Basics, the first course three part series for the z/Architecture Assembler Language. This course provides an introduction to z/Architecture and the Assembler language, covers binary and hexadecimal arithmetic, the basics of z/Architecture, and the Assembler language syntax. The goal of this course is to give you the basic knowledge necessary to understand the other courses in the z/Architecture Assembler Language series. There are no hands-on labs in this course. By the end of this course, you will be able to: - Understand binary and hexadecimal number representations and convert them to/from decimal. - Recognize architectural features, such as instruction formats, data representation, and storage addressing. - Understand the Assembler language syntax, and code Assembler statements that reserve and initialize areas in storage. - Code Assembler statements that make up a (very) simple program. This is an intermediate course, intended for learners with a background in computer science. To succeed in this course, you should have basic knowledge of computer programming and computer architecture.

Syllabus

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Introduction

This module introduces the structure of this course and how it will equip you with the skills and knowledge to become a proficient coder of the Assembler language with an emphasis on mastering the fundamentals first, starting from the basics and assuming minimal prior knowledge.

Numbering systems

In this module, you'll learn about fundamental computing concepts including binary, decimal, and hexadecimal numbering systems. You will learn to convert values between systems, perform basic arithmetic operations for binary and hexadecimal numbers, and understand signed binary number representation using two's complement notation in z/Architecture. By the end of the unit, you will have a strong grasp of numerical concepts in computing and be able to navigate different numbering systems, perform basic arithmetic, and comprehend signed binary number representation in z/Architecture.

z/Architecture concepts

This week, you'll learn key concepts in data representation and system architecture essential for computing. You will explore byte storage capacity, compare ASCII and EBCDIC schemes, and understand data items like halfwords, fullwords, doublewords, and quadwords. You will learn about binary data representation, general-purpose registers, and operand addressing through base and displacement. This module also includes long displacement, relative addressing schemes, and executable machine instructions formats, emphasizing the importance of the Program Status Word (PSW). By the end, you will have a strong foundation in data representation, system architecture, and operand addressing for effective computing system navigation.

The Assembler language

This week, you'll receive a comprehensive introduction to Assembler language programming, covering essential concepts and techniques for effective code development. You will learn symbolic name formation rules, format rules for source statements, statement continuation rules, storage reservation techniques, and organization of Assembler programs. By the end of the module, you will have foundational skills in Assembler language programming.