A pipeline P operating at 400 MHz has a speedup factor of 6 and operating at 70% efficiency. How many stages are there in pipeline?
- A. 5
- B. 6
- C. 8
- D. 9
Answer: D. 9
Explanation: Efficiency = Speedup / Stages. $0.7 = 6 / k \Rightarrow k = 6 / 0.7 = 8.57$. Round to 9.