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Total Categories: 6
The TOP500 project exclusively ranks the world's most powerful distributed computer systems.
Answer: False
The TOP500 project ranks the world's most powerful non-distributed computer systems, not exclusively distributed ones.
The TOP500 list undergoes updates twice annually, typically presented in June and November.
Answer: True
The TOP500 list is updated biannually, with releases typically occurring in June and November, coinciding with major supercomputing conferences.
The TOP500 project was established in the mid-1980s with the goal of tracking supercomputing trends.
Answer: False
The TOP500 project was established in 1993, not the mid-1980s, with the objective of tracking trends in high-performance computing.
The official website for the TOP500 project is top500.com.
Answer: False
The official website for the TOP500 project is top500.org, not top500.com.
The TOP500 project originated from a proposal at the University of Mannheim to use detailed system listings.
Answer: True
The project's genesis involved a proposal from the University of Mannheim to compile detailed listings of installed supercomputing systems, which evolved into the TOP500 list.
Systems are excluded from the TOP500 list only if their operators choose not to participate.
Answer: False
Systems can be excluded not only if operators choose not to participate but also if they are incapable of running the required HPL benchmark or if they are classified as distributed systems.
What is the main objective of the TOP500 project?
Answer: To track trends and rank the 500 most powerful non-distributed computer systems.
The primary objective of the TOP500 project is to provide a reliable basis for tracking trends in high-performance computing by cataloging and ranking the 500 most powerful non-distributed computer systems globally.
How often is the TOP500 list updated, and where are these updates typically presented?
Answer: Twice a year, coinciding with the International Supercomputing Conference and the ACM/IEEE Supercomputing Conference.
The TOP500 list is updated biannually, with presentations typically occurring in June at the International Supercomputing Conference and in November at the ACM/IEEE Supercomputing Conference.
When was the TOP500 project initiated, and what was its foundational purpose?
Answer: 1993, to track trends in high-performance computing via a ranked list.
The TOP500 project was initiated in 1993 with the foundational purpose of establishing a ranked list to track trends and provide statistics on the most powerful installed computer systems.
Which of the following is a common reason for a supercomputing system NOT appearing on the TOP500 list?
Answer: The system's operators choose not to participate or it cannot run the HPL benchmark.
Systems can be excluded not only if operators choose not to participate but also if they are incapable of running the required HPL benchmark or if they are classified as distributed systems.
The ranking of supercomputers on the TOP500 list is determined by the HPCG benchmark.
Answer: False
The primary ranking metric for the TOP500 list is the High-performance LINPACK (HPL) benchmark. HPCG (High Performance Conjugate Gradient) is a different benchmark used for assessing other performance aspects.
The Green500 benchmark measures the theoretical peak performance (Rpeak) of supercomputers.
Answer: False
The Green500 benchmark measures the energy efficiency (performance per watt) of supercomputers, not their theoretical peak performance (Rpeak).
Rpeak represents the actual measured performance achieved on the LINPACK benchmark.
Answer: False
Rpeak denotes the theoretical peak performance capability of a system, whereas Rmax represents the actual measured performance achieved on the LINPACK benchmark.
The LINPACK benchmark measures the energy efficiency of supercomputers.
Answer: False
The LINPACK benchmark is designed to measure the floating-point calculation speed of supercomputers, not their energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is measured by benchmarks like Green500.
Which benchmark is the standard for ranking systems on the TOP500 list?
Answer: HPL (High-performance LINPACK)
The High-performance LINPACK (HPL) benchmark is the standard methodology used to rank the supercomputers featured on the TOP500 list, measuring their floating-point calculation speed.
What is the difference between Rmax and Rpeak performance metrics?
Answer: Rmax is measured LINPACK performance, Rpeak is theoretical maximum.
Rmax represents the actual measured performance achieved by a supercomputer on the LINPACK benchmark, which is used for TOP500 rankings. Rpeak, conversely, denotes the theoretical maximum performance capability of the system.
What is the primary function of the LINPACK benchmark in the context of the TOP500 list?
Answer: To determine the ranking of supercomputers based on floating-point calculation speed.
The LINPACK benchmark's primary function is to measure and rank supercomputers based on their floating-point calculation speed, forming the basis for the TOP500 list.
Heterogeneous computing, combining CPUs with accelerators like GPUs, is a dominant trend in modern TOP500 supercomputers.
Answer: True
Heterogeneous computing, which integrates central processing units (CPUs) with specialized accelerators such as Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), has become a dominant architectural trend in modern TOP500 supercomputers.
Most supercomputers on the TOP500 list utilize the ARM instruction set architecture.
Answer: False
While ARM architectures are present, the majority of supercomputers on the TOP500 list predominantly utilize the x86-64 instruction set architecture.
Linux-based operating systems have been universally adopted by the fastest supercomputers since the Earth Simulator era.
Answer: True
Linux-based operating systems have become the universal standard for the fastest supercomputers on the TOP500 list, with adoption becoming widespread since the early 2000s.
Windows-based systems were still common on the TOP500 list as of November 2021.
Answer: False
Windows-based systems have largely disappeared from the TOP500 list; by November 2017, all systems were running Linux, although Ubuntu on Azure systems reappeared later.
InfiniBand is the most common interconnect technology by the sheer number of systems on the TOP500 list.
Answer: False
While InfiniBand is prevalent among high-performance systems, Gigabit Ethernet is more common by the sheer number of systems on the TOP500 list.
Vector processors, like those used in the Earth Simulator, are still commonly found on the TOP500 list.
Answer: False
Vector processors, once prominent, are no longer commonly found on the TOP500 list as modern architectures like x86-64 and ARM, often coupled with accelerators, have become dominant.
IBM AIX-based systems were the last non-Linux operating systems to feature on the TOP500 list, disappearing by November 2017.
Answer: True
IBM AIX-based systems, running on POWER7 processors, were among the last non-Linux operating systems to appear on the TOP500 list, dropping off by November 2017.
The June 2022 TOP500 list marked the first time all systems exclusively used 64-bit architecture.
Answer: True
The June 2022 edition of the TOP500 list was notable as it was the first time all listed supercomputers exclusively utilized 64-bit architecture.
Meta AI reported using over 20,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs in March 2024.
Answer: True
In March 2024, Meta AI disclosed the deployment of 24,576 Nvidia H100 GPUs across its AI data centers.
The Sunway TaihuLight system has the highest number of GPU/accelerator cores listed.
Answer: False
While Sunway TaihuLight has a very high number of CPU cores, the Tianhe-2 system is noted for having the highest number of GPU/accelerator cores.
Older architectures like Cell processors have remained relevant on the TOP500 list alongside modern CPUs.
Answer: False
Older architectures, such as Cell processors and vector processors, have largely ceased to be relevant on the TOP500 list as newer, more efficient architectures have become dominant.
Which architectural trend has become dominant in recent TOP500 supercomputers, combining different processor types?
Answer: Heterogeneous computing (CPUs + accelerators like GPUs)
Heterogeneous computing, which integrates central processing units (CPUs) with specialized accelerators such as Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), has become a dominant architectural trend in modern TOP500 supercomputers.
What is the predominant instruction set architecture (ISA) used by most supercomputers on the TOP500 list?
Answer: x86-64
The x86-64 instruction set architecture, implemented by manufacturers like Intel and AMD, is the predominant ISA found in the majority of supercomputers listed on the TOP500.
What type of operating system has been universally used by the fastest supercomputers on the TOP500 list since around 2017?
Answer: Linux
Since approximately 2017, Linux-based operating systems have become universally adopted by the fastest supercomputers on the TOP500 list, reflecting its dominance in the high-performance computing sector.
Which interconnect technology is most common by the sheer number of computers on the TOP500 list?
Answer: Gigabit Ethernet
While InfiniBand is significant for high-performance systems, Gigabit Ethernet is the most common interconnect technology when considering the sheer number of systems present on the TOP500 list.
How many Nvidia H100 GPUs did Meta AI report using in March 2024?
Answer: 24,576
In March 2024, Meta AI disclosed the deployment of 24,576 Nvidia H100 GPUs across its AI data centers.
Which of the following processor architectures has largely disappeared from the TOP500 list over time?
Answer: Itanium
Processor architectures like Intel's Itanium have largely disappeared from the TOP500 list as newer architectures such as x86-64 and ARM have become dominant.
As of June 2025, the supercomputer 'El Capitan' is ranked as the most powerful globally.
Answer: True
According to the June 2025 TOP500 list, El Capitan holds the position of the world's most powerful supercomputer.
As of June 2025, China had the most supercomputers listed on the TOP500.
Answer: False
As of June 2025, the United States led the TOP500 list in the number of supercomputers, not China.
The United States accounted for nearly half of the total computing power on the TOP500 list in June 2025.
Answer: True
Data from June 2025 indicates that the United States held approximately 48.4% of the total aggregate computational power (Rmax) on the TOP500 list.
The Fugaku supercomputer exceeded one exaflop on the HPC-AI benchmark in November 2020.
Answer: True
In November 2020, the Fugaku supercomputer achieved a performance exceeding one exaflop on the mixed-precision HPC-AI benchmark, marking a significant milestone.
As of June 2025, the European Union ranked third in the number of supercomputers on the TOP500 list.
Answer: False
As of June 2025, the European Union ranked second in the number of supercomputers on the TOP500 list, following the United States.
The aggregate computational power (Rmax) of US supercomputers exceeded 6,000 Petaflops in June 2025.
Answer: True
The United States held the highest aggregate computational power on the TOP500 list as of June 2025, reaching 6,696 Petaflops Rmax.
Summit, the number one supercomputer in June 2018, was located in Europe.
Answer: False
Summit, which ranked number one in June 2018, was located in the United States at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, not in Europe.
The Frontier supercomputer achieved exascale performance in May 2022.
Answer: True
The Frontier supercomputer successfully broke the exascale barrier in May 2022, marking a significant achievement in high-performance computing.
Google's TPU v5p claims performance exceeding 4 exaflops in the standard HPL benchmark format.
Answer: False
Google's TPU v5p claims performance exceeding 4 exaflops, but this is typically in specialized formats like Bfloat16 for machine learning, not the standard HPL benchmark used for TOP500 rankings.
xAI's 'Colossus' supercomputer is fully operational and currently ranked on the TOP500 list.
Answer: False
Reports suggest xAI's 'Colossus' supercomputer faces operational challenges, potentially due to power supply issues, preventing its full functionality and inclusion on the TOP500 list.
As of November 2023, Fugaku was the fastest supercomputer in China.
Answer: False
As of November 2023, Fugaku was the fastest supercomputer in Japan, not China. Its global rank was 4th.
Sunway TaihuLight, topping the list in June 2016, achieved over 100 petaflops/s.
Answer: True
In June 2016, the Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer achieved a performance of 93 petaflops/s, surpassing the 100 petaflops/s threshold for the top system at that time.
The IBM BlueGene/Q 'Sequoia' system achieved over 16 petaflop/s in June 2012.
Answer: True
In June 2012, the IBM BlueGene/Q system named 'Sequoia' achieved a Linpack benchmark performance of 16.32 petaflop/s.
Which supercomputer held the number one position on the TOP500 list in June 2025?
Answer: El Capitan
As of the June 2025 TOP500 list, El Capitan holds the position of the world's most powerful supercomputer.
As of June 2025, which country possessed the largest number of supercomputers on the TOP500 list?
Answer: United States
As of June 2025, the United States leads the TOP500 list with the highest number of supercomputers, totaling 175 systems.
What percentage of the total computing power on the TOP500 list did the United States account for in June 2025?
Answer: 48.4%
Data from June 2025 indicates that the United States held 48.4% of the total aggregate computational power (Rmax) on the TOP500 list.
In June 2025, which country ranked second in the number of supercomputers on the TOP500 list?
Answer: European Union
As of June 2025, the European Union ranked second in the number of supercomputers on the TOP500 list, following the United States.
What was the performance of the IBM supercomputer 'Summit' when it ranked No. 1 in June 2018?
Answer: 122.3 petaflops/s
The IBM supercomputer 'Summit' achieved a performance of 122.3 petaflops/s when it held the number one position on the TOP500 list in June 2018.
When did the Frontier supercomputer achieve exascale performance?
Answer: May 2022
The Frontier supercomputer successfully broke the exascale barrier in May 2022, marking a significant achievement in high-performance computing.
What was the performance of Sunway TaihuLight when it held the No. 1 spot in June 2016?
Answer: 93 petaflops/s
In June 2016, the Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer achieved a performance of 93 petaflops/s on the Linpack benchmark, securing the number one position on the TOP500 list.
Which supercomputer was the fastest in Japan as of the November 2023 TOP500 list?
Answer: Fugaku
As of the November 2023 TOP500 list, Fugaku was the fastest supercomputer in Japan, holding the 4th position globally.
What was the performance of the Fujitsu Numerical Wind Tunnel in November 1994?
Answer: 237 GigaFLOPS
In November 1994, the Fujitsu Numerical Wind Tunnel, then the world's fastest supercomputer, achieved a performance of 237 GigaFLOPS.
The performance of the number one supercomputer on the TOP500 list has remained relatively stagnant since 1993.
Answer: False
The performance of the top-ranked supercomputer has demonstrated exponential growth since 1993, roughly doubling every 14 months, indicating significant advancement rather than stagnation.
Lenovo became the leading HPC manufacturer by installed systems in June 2018, surpassing US companies.
Answer: True
In June 2018, Lenovo achieved a significant milestone by becoming the leading HPC manufacturer based on the number of installed systems on the TOP500 list, surpassing traditional US manufacturers.
China has become more transparent about its supercomputing developments following US trade sanctions.
Answer: False
Following US trade sanctions, China has reportedly increased secrecy surrounding its supercomputing developments, rather than becoming more transparent.
The 'New entry' marker in the TOP500 table indicates a system that has consistently held its rank for several years.
Answer: False
The 'New entry' marker typically signifies a system that has recently been added to the list or has made a substantial change in its ranking, not one that has consistently held its position.
The 'Legend' section of the TOP500 table explains the meaning of different columns like Rank, Rmax, and Manufacturer.
Answer: True
The Legend section within the TOP500 tables provides essential clarifications for abbreviations and definitions of columns such as Rank, Rmax, Manufacturer, and others.
The 'Year' column in the TOP500 table indicates the year the system was first benchmarked.
Answer: False
The 'Year' column in the TOP500 table typically signifies the year a supercomputer was installed or underwent its last significant upgrade, not necessarily its first benchmarking year.
Why has China reportedly become more secretive about its supercomputing developments?
Answer: To avoid being targeted by US sanctions related to sensitive research.
Following US trade sanctions, China has reportedly increased secrecy surrounding its supercomputing developments, partly to avoid being targeted by sanctions related to sensitive research areas.
What does the 'Year' column in the TOP500 table typically represent?
Answer: The year the system was installed or last significantly upgraded.
The 'Year' column in the TOP500 table typically signifies the year a supercomputer was installed or underwent its last significant upgrade, not necessarily its first benchmarking year.
What does the 'Legend' section of the TOP500 table typically provide?
Answer: Explanations for the abbreviations and columns used in the tables.
The Legend section within the TOP500 tables provides essential clarifications for abbreviations and definitions of columns such as Rank, Rmax, Manufacturer, and others.
Jack Dongarra is one of the key individuals responsible for compiling the TOP500 list.
Answer: True
Jack Dongarra, a distinguished professor, is recognized as one of the principal figures involved in the compilation and maintenance of the TOP500 list.
The National Strategic Computing Initiative aimed to develop quantum computing systems.
Answer: False
The National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI) primarily focused on accelerating the development of exascale computing systems and related technologies, not specifically quantum computing.
Who were the key individuals involved in compiling the TOP500 list, besides Jack Dongarra?
Answer: Erich Strohmaier, Horst Simon, and historically Hans Meuer
Beyond Jack Dongarra, the compilation of the TOP500 list has involved Erich Strohmaier and Horst Simon. Historically, Hans Meuer was also a key contributor until his passing.
The National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI) launched in 2015 primarily aimed to:
Answer: Accelerate the development of exascale computing systems and beyond.
The National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI), launched in 2015, was primarily established to accelerate the development of exascale computing systems and foster advancements in high-performance computing technologies.