diff --git a/Documentation/cputopology.txt b/Documentation/cputopology.txt
index bd699da24666..45932ec21cee 100644
--- a/Documentation/cputopology.txt
+++ b/Documentation/cputopology.txt
@@ -31,3 +31,51 @@ not defined by include/asm-XXX/topology.h:
 2) core_id: 0
 3) thread_siblings: just the given CPU
 4) core_siblings: just the given CPU
+
+Additionally, cpu topology information is provided under
+/sys/devices/system/cpu and includes these files.  The internal
+source for the output is in brackets ("[]").
+
+    kernel_max: the maximum cpu index allowed by the kernel configuration.
+		[NR_CPUS-1]
+
+    offline:	cpus that are not online because they have been
+		HOTPLUGGED off (see cpu-hotplug.txt) or exceed the limit
+		of cpus allowed by the kernel configuration (kernel_max
+		above). [~cpu_online_mask + cpus >= NR_CPUS]
+
+    online:	cpus that are online and being scheduled [cpu_online_mask]
+
+    possible:	cpus that have been allocated resources and can be
+		brought online if they are present. [cpu_possible_mask]
+
+    present:	cpus that have been identified as being present in the
+		system. [cpu_present_mask]
+
+The format for the above output is compatible with cpulist_parse()
+[see <linux/cpumask.h>].  Some examples follow.
+
+In this example, there are 64 cpus in the system but cpus 32-63 exceed
+the kernel max which is limited to 0..31 by the NR_CPUS config option
+being 32.  Note also that cpus 2 and 4-31 are not online but could be
+brought online as they are both present and possible.
+
+     kernel_max: 31
+        offline: 2,4-31,32-63
+         online: 0-1,3
+       possible: 0-31
+        present: 0-31
+
+In this example, the NR_CPUS config option is 128, but the kernel was
+started with possible_cpus=144.  There are 4 cpus in the system and cpu2
+was manually taken offline (and is the only cpu that can be brought
+online.)
+
+     kernel_max: 127
+        offline: 2,4-127,128-143
+         online: 0-1,3
+       possible: 0-127
+        present: 0-3
+
+See cpu-hotplug.txt for the possible_cpus=NUM kernel start parameter
+as well as more information on the various cpumask's.