CPU Sockets and CPU

Hi everyone,

i have a question,

I have a PC with core i5 cpu that is with a 1 socket and 4 cores with no supporting off hyperthreading,

I have installed ESXi5.5 on it, When I want to create a vm I can put 3 cpus and 3 cores per socket= 9 cores ????, and then it tells to me that I have one socket,

I think I do not know the real meaning of the cpus and cores per sockets in the vsphere web client, Can anyone help me please?

And another question, When for example we limit a cpu of a vm for 300MHZ is that limit pe each core or for all cores?

Thanks