A method of enabling a single instruction stream multiple data stream operation and a double precision floating point operation within a single floating point execution unit which includes providing a floating point unit with a two way aligner and a two way normalizer, selectively aligning a value based upon whether a single instruction stream multiple data stream operation is to be performed or a double precision operation is to be performed, and selectively normalizing a value based upon whether a single instruction stream multiple data stream operation is to be performed or a double precision operation is to be performed.