A digital tool employing Booth’s multiplication algorithm simplifies the process of multiplying binary numbers, especially in two’s complement representation. It reduces the number of additions or subtractions required compared to traditional methods by identifying and processing strings of consecutive ones and zeros in the multiplier. For example, the multiplication of 7 (0111) by 3 (0011) can be optimized by recognizing the string of ones in 7 and performing only two operations instead of four.
This approach significantly speeds up multiplication in computer systems, particularly within Arithmetic Logic Units (ALUs). Developed by Andrew Donald Booth in the early 1950s while researching crystallography at Birkbeck College, London, it has become fundamental to efficient computer arithmetic, contributing to advancements in various fields from general-purpose computing to embedded systems and digital signal processing. Its efficiency stems from reducing the number of operations, thus impacting processing speed and power consumption positively.
