Final answer:
A 32-bit PCI requires numerous signal lines to establish the connections needed for a parallel bus architecture, which is vital for performance in systems including a Pentium chip capable of over 100 million instructions per second.
Step-by-step explanation:
A 32-bit PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus requires a lot of signal lines to use a parallel bus architecture. Parallel buses are used in computer systems to connect various components, such as the CPU (central processing unit), memory, and peripheral devices. Since this is a 32-bit bus, it means that data is transferred 32 bits at a time, requiring 32 separate lines for the data alone, not including other lines for control and addressing purposes.
In the context of a Pentium chip, which is capable of executing more than 100 million instructions per second, an efficient bus system is essential for the overall performance of the computer. The chip mentioned is likely from an older generation, as more modern CPUs can execute several billion instructions per second and often use more advanced bus technologies like PCI Express (PCIe), which uses a high-speed serial communication system instead of a parallel one to overcome the limitations of traditional PCI.