Solution

The correct answer is 64

Key Points

1. Vector processors can perform operations on multiple data elements simultaneously. In this case, the processor has 16 lanes, meaning it can operate on 16 elements in parallel in each clock cycle.

2. You need to process a total of 1024 elements.

3. The number of cycles required to process these 1024 elements is determined by how many sets of 16 elements can be processed in sequence. So:

            \(\frac{1024 \text{ elements}}{16 \text{ elements per operation}} = 64 \text{ sets of operations}\)
   

4. Each set of operations (on 16 elements) takes 5 clock cycles.

5. But since the processor can operate on 16 elements in parallel, all 16 elements are processed simultaneously within those 5 cycles, regardless of how many total operations are performed. Hence, 5 clock cycles are needed per set of elements, and only one set of 5 cycles is required for each of the 64 groups of elements.

Therefore, the total clock cycles needed to complete the operation across all elements is: \(64 \times 1 = 64 \text{ clock cycles}\)

So the correct answer is 64, as only 64 sets of operations (each taking 5 cycles) are necessary to cover all the 1024 elements.