diff --git a/include/xo/expression/Apply.hpp b/include/xo/expression/Apply.hpp
index f06b8b8b..e95dd76a 100644
--- a/include/xo/expression/Apply.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/expression/Apply.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,19 @@ namespace xo {
             static rp<Apply> make(const rp<Expression> & fn,
                                   const std::vector<rp<Expression>> & argv);
 
+            /** create apply-expression to add two 64-bit floating-point numbers **/
+            static rp<Apply> make_add2_f64(const rp<Expression> & lhs,
+                                           const rp<Expression> & rhs);
+            /** create apply-expression to subtract two 64-bit floating-point numbers **/
+            static rp<Apply> make_sub2_f64(const rp<Expression> & lhs,
+                                           const rp<Expression> & rhs);
+            /** create apply-expression to multiply two 64-bit floating-point numbers **/
+            static rp<Apply> make_mul2_f64(const rp<Expression> & lhs,
+                                           const rp<Expression> & rhs);
+            /** create apply-expression to divide two 64-bit floating-point numbers **/
+            static rp<Apply> make_div2_f64(const rp<Expression> & lhs,
+                                           const rp<Expression> & rhs);
+
             /** downcast from Expression **/
             static ref::brw<Apply> from(ref::brw<Expression> x) {
                 return ref::brw<Apply>::from(x);
diff --git a/include/xo/expression/Primitive.hpp b/include/xo/expression/Primitive.hpp
index 5b1d46ac..2305bfe4 100644
--- a/include/xo/expression/Primitive.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/expression/Primitive.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@
 #include "xo/reflect/Reflect.hpp"
 //#include <cstdint>
 
+extern "C" {
+    /* these symbols needed to link primitives */
+
+    /* see Primitive_f64::make() */
+    double add2_f64(double x, double y);
+};
+
 namespace xo {
     namespace ast {
         /** @class Primitive
@@ -35,6 +42,7 @@ namespace xo {
             using Reflect = xo::reflect::Reflect;
             using TaggedPtr = xo::reflect::TaggedPtr;
             using TypeDescr = xo::reflect::TypeDescr;
+            using fptr_type = FunctionPointer;
 
         public:
             static rp<Primitive> make(const std::string & name,
@@ -46,8 +54,9 @@ namespace xo {
                 return new Primitive(fn_type, name, fnptr, explicit_symbol_def, intrinsic);
             }
 
+            /** see classes below for intrinsics **/
+
             FunctionPointer value() const { return value_; }
-            llvmintrinsic intrinsic() const { return intrinsic_; }
 
             TypeDescr value_td() const { return value_td_; }
             TaggedPtr value_tp() const {
@@ -60,6 +69,7 @@ namespace xo {
 
             // ----- PrimitiveInterface -----
 
+            virtual llvmintrinsic intrinsic() const override { return intrinsic_; }
             virtual bool explicit_symbol_def() const override { return explicit_symbol_def_; }
             virtual void_function_type function_address() const override { return reinterpret_cast<void_function_type>(value_); }
 
@@ -113,7 +123,7 @@ namespace xo {
             /** for LLVM: if true,  use Jit.intern_symbol() to provide explicit binding.
              *
              *  Not obvious what distinguishes functions like ::sin(), ::sqrt()
-             *  (which work without this) from symbols like ::mul_i32(), which do.
+             *  (which work without this) from symbols like ::mul_i32(), which require it.
              **/
             bool explicit_symbol_def_ = false;
             /** invalid:    generate call (IRBuilder::CreateCall)
@@ -132,6 +142,21 @@ namespace xo {
         {
             return Primitive<FunctionPointer>::make(name, x, explicit_symbol_def, intrinsic);
         }
+
+        class Primitive_f64 : public Primitive<double (*)(double, double)> {
+        public:
+            using PrimitiveType = Primitive<double (*)(double, double)>;
+
+        public:
+            /** add2_f64: add two 64-bit floating-point numbers **/
+            static rp<PrimitiveType> make_add2_f64();
+            /** sub2_f64: subtract two 64-bit floating-point numbers **/
+            static rp<PrimitiveType> make_sub2_f64();
+            /** mul2_f64: multiply two 64-bit floating-point numbers **/
+            static rp<PrimitiveType> make_mul2_f64();
+            /** div2_f64: divide two 64-bit floating-point numbers **/
+            static rp<PrimitiveType> make_div2_f64();
+        };
     } /*namespace ast*/
 } /*namespace xo*/
 
diff --git a/include/xo/expression/llvmintrinsic.hpp b/include/xo/expression/llvmintrinsic.hpp
index 052baa9e..bc484640 100644
--- a/include/xo/expression/llvmintrinsic.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/expression/llvmintrinsic.hpp
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ namespace xo {
             /** -> IRBuilder::CreateFadd (add 2 floating-point numbers) **/
             fp_add,
 
+            /** -> IRBuilder::CreateFsub (subtract 2 floating-pointer numbers) **/
+            fp_sub,
+
             /** -> IRBuilder::CreateFmul (multiply 2 floating-point numbers) **/
             fp_mul,
 
@@ -105,6 +108,7 @@ namespace xo {
             case llvmintrinsic::i_sdiv: return "i_sdiv";
             case llvmintrinsic::i_udiv: return "i_udiv";
             case llvmintrinsic::fp_add: return "fp_add";
+            case llvmintrinsic::fp_sub: return "fp_sub";
             case llvmintrinsic::fp_mul: return "fp_mul";
             case llvmintrinsic::fp_div: return "fp_div";
             case llvmintrinsic::fp_sqrt: return "fp_sqrt";
diff --git a/src/expression/Apply.cpp b/src/expression/Apply.cpp
index 36e2428a..497565b1 100644
--- a/src/expression/Apply.cpp
+++ b/src/expression/Apply.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /* @file Apply.cpp */
 
 #include "Apply.hpp"
+#include "Primitive.hpp"
 #include "xo/indentlog/print/vector.hpp"
 
 namespace xo {
@@ -25,6 +26,38 @@ namespace xo {
             return new Apply(fn_retval_type, fn, argv);
         }
 
+        rp<Apply>
+        Apply::make_add2_f64(const rp<Expression> & lhs,
+                             const rp<Expression> & rhs)
+        {
+            return Apply::make(Primitive_f64::make_add2_f64(),
+                               {lhs, rhs});
+        }
+
+        rp<Apply>
+        Apply::make_sub2_f64(const rp<Expression> & lhs,
+                             const rp<Expression> & rhs)
+        {
+            return Apply::make(Primitive_f64::make_sub2_f64(),
+                               {lhs, rhs});
+        }
+
+        rp<Apply>
+        Apply::make_mul2_f64(const rp<Expression> & lhs,
+                             const rp<Expression> & rhs)
+        {
+            return Apply::make(Primitive_f64::make_mul2_f64(),
+                               {lhs, rhs});
+        }
+
+        rp<Apply>
+        Apply::make_div2_f64(const rp<Expression> & lhs,
+                             const rp<Expression> & rhs)
+        {
+            return Apply::make(Primitive_f64::make_div2_f64(),
+                               {lhs, rhs});
+        }
+
         void
         Apply::display(std::ostream & os) const {
             os << "<Apply"
diff --git a/src/expression/CMakeLists.txt b/src/expression/CMakeLists.txt
index eb0f6d64..08c4302f 100644
--- a/src/expression/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/expression/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ set(SELF_SRCS
     IfExpr.cpp
     LocalEnv.cpp
     ConvertExpr.cpp
+    Primitive.cpp
 )
 
 xo_add_shared_library4(${SELF_LIB} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets ${PROJECT_VERSION} 1 ${SELF_SRCS})
diff --git a/src/expression/Primitive.cpp b/src/expression/Primitive.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..350edae8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/expression/Primitive.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+/* @file Primitive.cpp */
+
+#include "Primitive.hpp"
+
+extern "C" {
+    double
+    add2_f64(double x, double y) {
+        return x + y;
+    }
+
+    double
+    sub2_f64(double x, double y) {
+        return x - y;
+    }
+
+    double
+    mul2_f64(double x, double y) {
+        return x * y;
+    }
+
+    double
+    div2_f64(double x, double y) {
+        return x / y;
+    }
+}
+
+namespace xo {
+    namespace ast {
+        auto
+        Primitive_f64::make_add2_f64() -> rp<PrimitiveType>
+        {
+            static rp<PrimitiveType> s_retval;
+
+            if (!s_retval)
+                s_retval = Primitive::make("add2_f64",
+                                           &add2_f64,
+                                           true /*explicit_symbol_def*/,
+                                           llvmintrinsic::fp_add);
+
+            return s_retval;
+        }
+
+        auto
+        Primitive_f64::make_sub2_f64() -> rp<PrimitiveType>
+        {
+            static rp<PrimitiveType> s_retval;
+
+            if (!s_retval)
+                s_retval = Primitive::make("sub2_f64",
+                                           &sub2_f64,
+                                           true /*explicit_symbol_def*/,
+                                           llvmintrinsic::fp_sub);
+
+            return s_retval;
+        }
+
+        auto
+        Primitive_f64::make_mul2_f64() -> rp<PrimitiveType>
+        {
+            static rp<PrimitiveType> s_retval;
+
+            if (!s_retval)
+                s_retval = Primitive::make("mul2_f64",
+                                           &mul2_f64,
+                                           true /*explicit_symbol_def*/,
+                                           llvmintrinsic::fp_mul);
+
+            return s_retval;
+        }
+
+        auto
+        Primitive_f64::make_div2_f64() -> rp<PrimitiveType>
+        {
+            static rp<PrimitiveType> s_retval;
+
+            if (!s_retval)
+                s_retval = Primitive::make("div2_f64",
+                                           &div2_f64,
+                                           true /*explicit_symbol_def*/,
+                                           llvmintrinsic::fp_div);
+
+            return s_retval;
+        }
+
+    } /*namespace scm*/
+} /*namespace xo*/
+
+
+/* end Primitive.cpp */
diff --git a/src/expression/intrinsics.cpp b/src/expression/intrinsics.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..27dcd83a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/expression/intrinsics.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/* @file intrinsics.cpp */
+
+#include "intrinsics.hpp"
+
+/* FIXME: don't know how to mangle symbols yet,
+ * so putting functions invoked from jit into global namespace
+ */
+extern "C"
+int32_t
+mul_i32(int32_t x, int32_t y) {
+    return x * y;
+}
+
+/* end intrinsics.cpp */