johnnyrocket said:I need to write a MIPS program (using only 2 true-ops) to take in 1 signed integer argument into register $a0, and return (into $v0) a 1 if the input was negative, and a 0 (into $v0) otherwise. Can anyone offer help. I'm not sure since I can only use 2 instructions.
That will take an extra instruction. So will an arithmetic shift right of 15 bits that will produce a 0 for positive or -1 for a negative number. There's are a couple of MIPS instructions that will do what he needs in a single instruction once $a0 has the value to be tested. This is more of a search exercise than some clever usage of math oriented instructions.chiro said:A signed integer will have one of its bits set to 1 (usually the most significant bit), so you should be able to do a bitwise AND which will return 0 if positive or a non-zero number if negative.
rcgldr said:That will take an extra instruction. So will an arithmetic shift right of 15 bits that will produce a 0 for positive or -1 for a negative number. There's are a couple of MIPS instructions that will do what he needs in a single instruction once $a0 has the value to be tested. This is more of a search exercise than some clever usage of math oriented instructions.
I was thinking of chiro's post not yours. The logical right shift will work.johnnyrocket said:if the $a0 register has a 32 bit value in it, how will shifting it right 31 bits produce anything other than a 1 or 0 (the 1st bit)?
If I have 10000000000000000000000000000000 and I shift right 31 bits I am left with a 1(with 31 0's in front of it to make it 32 bits) right?
MIPS (Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages) is a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) instruction set architecture (ISA) developed by MIPS Technologies. It is commonly used in embedded systems, such as video game consoles, routers, and other devices.
A MIPS program is a set of instructions written in the MIPS assembly language that is used to control and operate a MIPS-based processor. It is typically used for low-level programming tasks, such as system calls and device drivers.
The purpose of a MIPS program with 2 instructions is to demonstrate the basic structure and functionality of a MIPS program. It is often used as a learning exercise for individuals who are new to programming with MIPS.
The two most commonly used instructions in a MIPS program are the load instruction (lw) and the store instruction (sw). The load instruction is used to load data from memory into a register, while the store instruction is used to store data from a register into memory.
There are many online resources available for learning how to write a MIPS program with 2 instructions. Some popular options include online tutorials, coding forums, and instructional videos. Additionally, many universities offer courses or resources for learning MIPS programming. It is also helpful to refer to the MIPS instruction set architecture manual for detailed information on the instructions and their usage.