Final answer:
A small cache size will not reduce hit latency and may actually increase it, whereas a large cache size and high associativity are generally intended to improve cache performance and reduce latency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns cache memory and its performance optimization. In the context of processor caches, hit latency refers to the time it takes to retrieve data from the cache when it is present (cache hit). To reduce this latency, several techniques can be employed.
- Large cache size can help in holding more data and hence might improve the hit ratio but not necessarily reduce the latency per hit because the hit latency depends mainly on the speed of the cache and not its size.
- High associativity is a design choice that allows a given block of memory to be stored in any of several places in the cache, determined by a cache algorithm. This can reduce the potential for collisions and missed cache hits, potentially reducing the hit latency through more efficient data organization.
- A small cache size will likely have the opposite effect, as it can hold less data, leading to more cache misses and thus a higher average latency to access data (including the hit and miss penalties).
Therefore, out of the given options, a small cache size will not reduce the hit latency and might in fact increase it.