diff --git a/rust_experiments/src/lib.rs b/rust_experiments/src/lib.rs
index 3386607..c6c4c5f 100644
--- a/rust_experiments/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust_experiments/src/lib.rs
@@ -58,10 +58,11 @@ mod PIT {
     pub const MILLISECOND_CONSTANT: u16 = 1193;
 
     pub fn configure_PIT(timer_divider: u16) {
+
+        let (low_bits, high_bits) = ::util::lo_hi_bits(timer_divider);
+
         unsafe {
             outb(PIT_MODE_CMD, TIMER_CONFIG_SPECIFIER);
-            let low_bits = (timer_divider & 0xff) as u8;
-            let high_bits = (timer_divider >> 8) as u8;
             outb(PIT_CH0, low_bits);
             outb(PIT_CH0, high_bits);
         }
@@ -173,6 +174,11 @@ pub extern fn rust_main() {
 
 // 123  |3,2,1
 mod util {
+
+    pub fn lo_hi_bits(n: u16) -> (u8, u8) {
+        ( (n & 0xff) as u8, (n >> 8) as u8)
+    }
+
     pub fn u32_to_chars(n: u32) -> [u8; 10] {
         let mut accum = [0; 10];
         let mut i = 0;
@@ -325,8 +331,7 @@ mod vga_buffer {
         const CURSOR_DATA_PORT: u16 = 0x3d5;
 
         let position: u16 = (y as u16)*80 + (x as u16);
-        let low_bits = (position & 0xff) as u8;
-        let high_bits = (position >> 8) as u8;
+        let (low_bits, high_bits) = ::util::lo_hi_bits(position);
 
         unsafe {
             outb(CURSOR_COMMAND_PORT, 14);