Which of the following is a type of conventional semiconductor memory (usually RAM) that contains additional comparison circuitry that enables a search operation to be completed in a single clock cycle?

Correct option is D

Associative memory, also known as Content Addressable Memory (CAM), allows data to be accessed based on the content rather than specific addresses. It includes comparison logic within the memory cells, which enables searching all memory words simultaneously, completing searches in a single clock cycle.

Important Key Points:

1. CAM is used in high-speed search applications like network routers and translation lookaside buffers (TLB) in processors.
2. Unlike traditional memory (RAM), which accesses data using specific addresses, associative memory retrieves data by matching content.

Knowledge Booster:

• Address-based memory refers to standard RAM where data is fetched using an address, not by content.
• Secondary memory includes storage devices like HDDs and SSDs, which are non-volatile and much slower.
• Auxiliary memory is another term for external or backup storage like tapes or optical drives.