Integer multiplication and division on the HP precision architecture

Abstract

In recent years, many architectural design efforts have focused on maximizing performance for frequently executed, simple instructions. Although these efforts have resulted in machines with better average price/performance ratios, certain complex instructions and, thus, certain classes of programs which heavily depend on these instructions may suffer by comparison. Integer multiplication and division are one such set of complex instructions. This paper describes how a small set of primitive instructions combined with careful frequency analysis and clever programming allows the Hewlett-Packard Precision Architecture integer multiplication and division implementation to provide adequate performance at little or no hardware cost.