1. What is MIPS?

MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second) is a measure of a computer's processor speed. It represents how many million instructions a CPU can execute in one second.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the MIPS formula:

Where:

• \( Clock\ Rate \) — CPU clock frequency in Hertz (Hz)
• \( IPC \) — Instructions Per Cycle
• \( 10^6 \) — Conversion factor to millions

Explanation: The formula calculates how many million instructions the CPU can execute per second based on its clock speed and instruction efficiency.

3. Importance of MIPS Calculation

Details: MIPS is important for comparing processor performance, especially in systems where raw instruction execution speed matters more than other factors.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter clock rate in Hz and IPC (instructions per cycle). Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is MIPS still a relevant performance metric?
A: While not perfect, MIPS remains useful for comparing processors with similar architectures or estimating raw processing power.

Q2: What are typical MIPS values?
A: Modern CPUs can achieve thousands to millions of MIPS, depending on clock speed and architecture.

Q3: How does IPC affect MIPS?
A: Higher IPC means more instructions completed per clock cycle, directly increasing MIPS at the same clock speed.

Q4: What are limitations of MIPS?
A: MIPS doesn't account for memory hierarchy, parallel execution, or instruction mix differences between workloads.

Q5: How does MIPS relate to FLOPS?
A: MIPS measures general instructions while FLOPS measures floating-point operations. They measure different aspects of performance.