Final answer:
Amdahl's Law relates to the optimization of software to effectively utilize multiple processor cores, which is critical when optimizing software for a new Intel Core i5 dual-core processor. Moore's Law, while related to the growth of computing power, is distinct and describes the rate at which the number of transistors on chips has historically increased. Both laws highlight important aspects of the rapid evolution of computer technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question implies that you need to understand and apply Amdahl's Law to optimize software for a new Intel Core i5 dual-core processor. Amdahl's Law is used in computer engineering to find the maximum improvement an overall system can gain from improving a particular part of the system. It is relevant when considering parallel computing and the application's ability to utilize multiple cores efficiently. The principle behind Amdahl's Law is that as you parallelize a task, there's often a portion that cannot be parallelized. The more significant this non-parallelizable portion, the less overall performance gain you will see from parallel processing.
Moore's Law, on the other hand, is related but different. It is an observation that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles every two years, though the cost of computers is halved. This observation, made by Gordon Moore, one of the cofounders of Intel, indicates exponential growth in computing power over time. Both Amdahl's and Moore's laws have been drivers in the rapid evolution of computer technology, from early computers like the Apple II to today's complex multi-core processors.
As an example, if your applications can only be optimized to parallelize 50% of their tasks, then, based on Amdahl's Law, the maximum speedup you could achieve is 2x, regardless of how many more cores are added to the system. Understanding this will help you set realistic expectations for performance improvements when optimizing your applications for the dual-core processor.