# Typecasting

Sometimes you need to convert between data types.

```solidity
uint8 a = 5;
uint b = 6;
// throws an error because a * b returns a uint, not uint8:
uint8 c = a * b;
// we have to typecast b as a uint8 to make it work:
uint8 c = a * uint8(b);
```

In the above, `a * b` returns a `uint`, but we were trying to store it as a `uint8`, which could cause potential problems. By casting it as a `uint8`, it works and the compiler won't throw an error.