Multiply Two 8-Bit Numbers in 8051 Microprocessor

Here we will see how to multiply two 8-bit numbers using this 8051 microcontroller. The register A and B will be used for multiplication. No other registers can be used for multiplication. The result of the multiplication may exceed the 8-bit size. So the higher order byte is stored at register B, and lower order byte will be in the Accumulator A after multiplication.

We are taking two number FFH and FFH at location 20H and 21H, After multiplying the result will be stored at location 30H and 31H.

Program

      MOV R0, #20H ; set source address 20H to R0
      MOV R1, #30H ; set destination address 30H to R1
      MOV A, @R0 ; take the first operand from source to register A
      INC R0 ; Point to the next location
      MOV B, @R0 ; take second operand from source to register B
      MUL AB ; Multiply A and B
      MOV @R1, B ; Store higher order byte to 30H
      INC R1 ; Increase R1 to point to the next location
      MOV @R1, A ; Store lower order byte to 31H
HALT: SJMP HALT ; Stop the program

8051 provides MUL AB instruction. By using this instruction, the multiplication can be done. In some other microprocessors like 8085, there was no MUL instruction. In that microprocessor, we need to use repetitive ADD operations to get the result of the multiplication.

When the result is below 255, the overflow flag OV is low, otherwise it is 1.

Output