1. MUL and DIV How to use the x86 CPU’s multiplication and division instructions

2. A comment about addition When two register-values are added add%al, %bl their total can sometimes be “too large” to fit in the destination register: Example:150 + 160 = 310 Both numbers 150 and 160 can be expressed as 8-bit binary values: 150 as 10010110 (base 2) 160 as 10100000 (base 2) But not their sum:310 is 100110110 (base 2)

3. The Carry-Flag The “extra” bit becomes the CF-bit (i.e., the ‘Carry’ Flag) in the RFLAGS register Programs can “branch” if a carry occurs: jctoobig Or branch elsewhere if no-carry occurs: jncsumok Special instruction exists to handle adding of large numbers: ADC (Add-with-Carry)

4. A Big Number example.section.data x:.short150 y:.short160.section.text movx, %al addy, %al movx+1, %ah adcy+1, %ah

5. “worst-cases” add vs multiply Adding two n-bit numbers never requires more than (n+1)-bits for their total, so the carry-flag bit suffices for holding the result But multiplication is another story! Biggest 8-bit number is 255 (= 11111111) 255x255 = 65025 (= 1111111000000001) So this product requires 16-bits: 0xFE01

6. MUL Using MUL to multiply two 64-bit operands Put the 64-bit ‘multiplicand’ into RAX Put the 64-bit ‘multiplier’ into a general register The CPU will produce a 128-bit ‘product’ The product will be in the (RDX:RAX) register-pair (You can also put the 64-bit ‘multiplier’ in a memory-variable if you then use ‘MULQ’)

7. DIV If you put your 128-bit ‘dividend’ into the RDX:RAX register-pair, then you can put your 64-bit divisor into a general-register The ‘quotient’ will appear in RAX and the remainder will appear in RDX – unless the quotient is too large to fit in register RAX (You can also put your 64-bit ‘divisor’ in a memory variable if you then use DIVQ)