Select an answer that lists the memory hierarchy order by increasing access time from left to right.

A. Registers, DRAM, L1, L2, L3, disk
B. L1, L2, L3, registers, DRAM, disk
C. Registers, L1, L2, DRAM, L3, disk
D. Registers, L1, L2, L3, DRAM, disk

Answer :

Final answer:

The correct memory hierarchy order by increasing access time is Registers, L1, L2, L3, DRAM, disk. Therefore option d. is correct answer.

Explanation:

The memory hierarchy order by increasing access time from left to right is Registers, L1, L2, L3, DRAM, disk. Registers are the fastest form of memory storage and are located within the CPU itself. The L1, L2, and L3 are levels of cache that have incrementally larger storage capacities and correspondingly slower access times as you go from L1 to L3. DRAM, or dynamic random-access memory, is slower than cache memory but faster than disk storage. Disk storage such as HDDs or SSDs constitutes the part of the memory hierarchy with the highest access time.