Student "edition" found at {csi dot journalspace dot com}.

Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

In Assembly Language class we have recently discussed the use of one-dimensional arrays in relation to being able to display up to sixty-four bit numbers or ten raised to the nineteen.

First I had to show them that performing long division in hexadecimal is the same as that operation in decimal, with just six extra digits.

The next step after this was showing them how to extract each four bit number or hexadecimal digit from the up to sixteen bit registers.

They had to access the eight bit registers associated with the sixteen bit register, to be able to divide the number into two eight bit equivalents.

To get the four bit digits, all they have to is divide the eight bit number by sixteen, and from the results of the operation, the quotient is the higher digit and the remainder is the lower digit.

Then they have to make a loop that divides each digit in the large number by ten.

So for example, dividing FEDCh by 10d or Ah, first it's Fh divided Ah.

The quotient, 1 (the same in binary, decimal and hex) replaces Fh in the array.

The remainder, 5, becomes the sixteens digit in the next number to be divided, 5Eh.

The final remainder of the last division is now the ones digit in their conversion.

The quotient in the array has to be divided again to get the next digit, the tens.

In their last exam though, I showed this procedure without using an array or loops, and was expecting them to be able to convert it into a loop.

They're apparently having a difficult time with that though, so I may not repeat that type of mental exercise for next time.

Session 1913 can put the spoon in their mouth, but not yet filled with food. Class dismissed.