# Mul + div using only add/sub ? [closed]

In an algorithm book once the first example was how to compute a multiplication in a loop (only that, so I just remembered, and wanted to do it programmatically but with all operations)

Multiplication was simple, say 10 * 4:

base = 0, x = 10, y = 4:

While y != 0:
base + x = 10, y--
base + x = 20, y--
base + x = 30, y--
base + x = 40, y-- (y is now 0)

Result of base: 40 (correct)


As the opposite of taking away is giving, I assumed the same was for division and multiplication (doubling, halving), but: "base - x.." clearly does not give anything useful in an iteration..

Is this impossible? Am I looking at an algorithm to divide completely the wrong way (not like my mult)?

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## closed as off topic by Andrea Ferretti, Victor Protsak, José Figueroa-O'Farrill, Harald Hanche-Olsen, François G. Dorais♦Sep 12 '10 at 21:48

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Take away x until you would go below zero. The number of times you took x away is the quotient. The number left is the remainder. Is this what you are looking for? Or do you want a decimal expansion of the fraction you get? By the way, you cannot multiply fractions using your algorithm - what is 1/2 times 1/3? Add 1/3 to itself repeatedly 1/2 a time? A computer would no take that instruction. –  Steven Gubkin Sep 12 '10 at 20:09