How would you memorize material like this?

Homework and Study Help
1

Hey, I’m currently studying for the CompTIA A+ exam using Mike Meyers’ book. My approach is to read through the material, eliminate the filler content, and note down everything in bullet points. I plan to use a memory palace to help retain the information. However, I don’t use memory techniques very often, so I’d appreciate your input on how you would go about memorizing material like this.

A small part from chapter 3/CPUs:

  • Cache :
    • Because the CPU runs faster than the RAM can supply it with code, you’ll always get pipeline stalls called wait states because the RAM can’t keep up with the CPU.
    • To reduce wait states, CPUs come with built-in, very high-speed RAM called static RAM (SRAM).
    • The moment you double-clicked an icon, Windows started sending many programs to the CPU.
    • Each of these programs breaks down into some number of little pieces, called threads, and data. (threads are a series of instructions designed to do a particular job with the data)
    • Most applications have certain instructions and data that get reused many times.
    • SRAM preloads as many instructions as possible and keeps copies of already run instructions and data in case the CPU needs to work on them again.
    • SRAM used in this fashion is called a cache.
    • Motherboard makers began adding caches, around 128 to 512 KB large, directly to the motherboards.
    • When the CPU looked for a line of code, it first went to the built-in cache; if the code wasn’t there, the CPU went to the cache on the motherboard.
    • The cache on the CPU was called the L1 cache because it was the one the CPU first tried to use.
    • The cache on the motherboard was called the L2 cache, not because it was on the motherboard, but because it was the second cache the CPU checked.
    • Eventually, engineers added the L2 cache onto the CPU package, then eventually right onto the CPU chip.
    • Many modern CPUs include three: an L1, an L2, and an L3 cache (Intel calls it Smart Cache).
    • The L1 cache was in the CPU and thus ran at the speed of the CPU, while the L2 cache connected to the CPU via a tiny set of wires on the CPU package.
2

I know it must be boring to emphasize this, but it’s good to say that I wouldn’t memorize this with the memory palace, I would try to understand what’s happening and as the world record holder of memorization Alberto Dell’Sola said: If you understand, you NEVER forget, and if you forget, it’s because you didn’t understand.

But that wasn’t your question, so let’s get to the point of how I would do it personally.

° First: Understanding what’s going on is STILL necessary, but do it slowly on each topic.

° Second: Once you understand it, you must eliminate everything that is useless from this information and summarize it in a way that maintains the information and reduces the number of words, summarize it in text.

For example: instead of “Because the CPU runs faster than the RAM can provide code” remove words like “Because” and try to reduce it to: “The CPU runs faster than the RAM provide code”

° Third: After that, try to turn the words into visible actions.
Can you imagine a RAM delivering code? Digitally or physically? You can also imagine it delivering code in a fantastic way (Like a RAM delivering a list of codes for something)

Imagine the situation, but in visible images, what we call “mnemonics”

° From there, you can place the images in a memory palace, in order if you like.

That was a summary.

Some things to consider: I am Brazilian and I do not speak English fluently, so please be patient if something is written incorrectly, as I am translating using Google Translate.

Another thing: I do not know much about what you are studying, so if I got any details wrong, please forgive me.

Good luck and if you have any questions, I may be able to help you.

4 Likes