Computer Number Systems

Different Ways To Say How Many

By Tim Gill, Tyler CC,1999

Learning Outcomes
Explain why computer designers chose to
use the binary system for representing
information in computers.
Explain what a binary digit is.
Explain what a byte is.

Learning Outcomes
Computer Number Systems

Convert decimal numbers to binary.

Convert binary numbers to decimal.
Convert binary numbers to hexadecimal.
Convert hexadecimal. Numbers to binary.
Convert hexadecimal numbers to decimal.
Convert decimal numbers to hexadecimal.

Learning Outcomes
Associate electronic prefixes with their
meanings.
Identify the special quantities specified by
the terms kilobyte and megabyte.

Learning Outcomes
Identify the special code used to represent
alphanumeric characters in PCs.
Describe the parity method of detecting
data errors in PCs.

Why binary?
The original computers were designed to be
high-speed calculators.
The designers needed to use the electronic
components available at the time.
The designers realized they could use a
simple coding system--the binary system-to represent their numbers

Representing Information in
Computers
All the different types of information in
computers can be represented using binary
code.

Numbers
Letters of the alphabet and punctuation marks
Microprocessor instruction
Graphics/Video
Sound

Bits and Bytes

A binary digit is a single numeral in a
binary number.
Each 1 and 0 in the number below is a
binary digit:
10010101

The term binary digit is commonly called

a bit.
Eight bits grouped together is called a
byte.

Computer Number Systems

Decimal Numbers
Binary Numbers
Hexadecimal Numbers

Numbering Systems

Decimal Number System

The prefix deci- stands for 10
The decimal number system is a Base 10
number system:
There are 10 symbols that represent quantities:
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Each place value in a decimal number is a

power of 10.

Background Information

Any number to the 0 (zero)

power is 1.
40 = 1

160 = 1

1,4820 = 1.

Any number to the 1st power

is the number itself.
101 = 10

491 = 49

8271 = 827

Numbering Systems

Decimal Number System

10
10 10 10
1000 100 10 1
1
4
9 2

Numbering Systems

Decimal Number System

1492
1x

1000 =

4x

100 =

9x

10 =

2x

1=

1000
400
90
+

1492

Numbering Systems

Binary Numbers
The prefix bi- stands for 2
The binary number system is a Base 2
number system:
There are 2 symbols that represent quantities:
0, 1

Each place value in a binary number is a power

of 2.

Numbering Systems

Binary Number System

8
3
2
1

4
2 1
2
1
0
2 2 2
0
1
1

Numbering Systems

Binary Number System

1011
1x 8=

0x 4=

1x 2=

1x 1= + 1
11

Numbering Systems

Binary Number System

128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
7

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1

Numbering Systems

Converting Binary Numbers to

Decimal
Step 1
Starting with the 1s place, write the binary place
value over each digit in the binary number being
converted.

16 8 4 2

1 0 1 0 1

Numbering Systems

Converting Binary Numbers to

Decimal
Step 2
Add up all of the place values that have a 1 in
them.

16 8 4

2 1

1 0 1 0 1
16 +

4+

1 = 21

You Try It!

Convert the binary number

11

0 0 1 0 1 to decimal.
64

32 16

1
1 0
64 + 32 +

4 2 1

1 0 1
4 + 1=101

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
There are two methods that can be used to
convert decimal numbers to binary:
Repeated subtraction method
Repeated division method

Both methods produce the same result and

you should use whichever one you are
most comfortable with.

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
The Repeated Subtraction method
As an explanation of the repeated
subtraction method, let s convert the
decimal number 853 to binary.

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
The Repeated Subtraction method
Step 1:
Starting with the 1s place, write down all of the
binary place values in order until you get to the first
binary place value that is GREATER THAN the
decimal number you are trying to convert.

853
1024 512 256 128

64

32

16

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
The Repeated Subtraction method
Step 2:
Mark out the largest place value (it just tells us how
many place values we need).

853
1024 512 256 128

64

32

16

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
The Repeated Subtraction method
Step 3:
Subtract the largest place value from the decimal
number. Place a 1 under that place value.

853 - 512 = 341

512 256 128

64

32

16

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
Step 4:
For the rest of the place values, try to
subtract each one from the previous result.
If you can, place a 1 under that place value.
If you cant, place a 0 under that place value.

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
The Repeated Subtraction method
Step 5:
Repeat Step 4 until all of the place values have been
processed.

The resulting set of 1s and 0s is the binary

equivalent of the decimal number you started
with.

Converting 853 to Binary

853
- 512
341

341
- 256
85
512 256 128

85
- 128
X
64

32

85
- 64
21
16

21
- 32
X
4

1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
21
- 16
5

5
-8
X

5
-4
1

1
-2
X

1
-1
0

You Try It!

Convert the decimal number 587 to
binary.
1001001011

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
The Repeated Division method
The general technique of this method can
be used to convert any decimal number to
any other number system.

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
Step 1:
Divide the decimal number youre trying to
convert by 2 in regular long division until you
have a final remainder.

Step 2:
Use the remainder as the LEAST
SIGNIFICANT DIGIT of the binary number.

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
Step 3:
Divide the quotient you got from the first
division operation until you have a final
remainder.

Step 4:
Use the remainder as the next digit of the binary
number.

Numbering Systems

Converting Decimal Numbers to

Binary
Step 5:
Repeat Steps 3 & 4 as many times as necessary
until you get a quotient that cant be divided by
2.

Step 6:
Use the last remainder (the one that cant be
divided by 2) as the MOST SIGNIFICANT
digit.

An Example of the Repeated

Division Method
This example converts 853 to binary (the
same example we used for the repeated
subtraction method).
Step 1:
853 / 2 = 426 Remainder 1

Step 2:
The remainder of 1 becomes the LEAST
significant digit of the number.
1

An Example of the Repeated

Division Method
Step 3:
Divide the quotient from Step 1 by 2 all the way
out.
426 / 2 = 213 Remainder 0

Step 4:
The remainder of 0 becomes the next digit of
the number.
0 1

An Example of the Repeated

Division Method
Step 5:
Continue to divide the quotients by 2 and move
the remainders down until you get a quotient that
cant be divided by 2.

213 / 2 = 106 Remainder 1

106 / 2 = 53 Remainder 0
53 / 2 = 26 Remainder 1
26 / 2 = 13 Remainder 0
0 1 0 1 0

An Example of the Repeated

Division Method
Step 5 (Continued):
13 / 2 = 6 Remainder 1
6 / 2 = 3 Remainder 0
3 / 2 = 1 Remainder 1

1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

Step 6:
The final quotient of 1 comes down to be the
most significant digit.

Numbering Systems

Hexadecimal Numbers
The prefix hexa- stands for 6 and the
prefix deci- stands for 10
The hexadecimal number system is a Base
16 number system:
There are 16 symbols that represent quantities:
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F

Each place value in a hexadecimal number is a

power of 16.

Numbering Systems

Hexadecimal Numbers
We use hexadecimal numbers as
shorthand for binary numbers
Each group of four binary digits can be
represented by a single hexadecimal digit.

Numbering Systems

Hexadecimal Numbers
Dec

Bin

Hex

Dec

Bin

Hex

0000

1000

0001

1001

0010

10

1010

0011

11

1011

0100

12

1100

0101

13

1101

0110

14

1110

0111

15

1111

Numbering Systems

Converting Binary Numbers to

Hexadecimal
Step 1:
Starting with the LEAST SIGNIFICANT digit,
mark off the digits in groups of 4.
For example, to convert 110001011011 to
hexadecimal, mark off the digits in groups of
four.
1100|0101|1011

Numbering Systems

Converting Binary Numbers to

Hexadecimal
Step 2:
Convert each group of four digits to its
hexadecimal character.
1100|0101|1011

Numbering Systems

Converting Binary Numbers to

Hexadecimal
Helpful Hint
The last group on the left can have anywhere
from 1 to 4 binary digits group.
If it will help you see the pattern, you can fill in
enough leading zeroes to make the last group on
the left have four digits.
For example, 1 1 0 | 0 1 1 1 | 1 0 0 1 could be
written 0 1 1 0 | 0 1 1 1 | 1 0 0 1

Numbering Systems

Converting Hexadecimal
Numbers to Binary
Converting hexadecimal numbers to binary
is just the reverse operation of converting
binary to hexadecimal.
Just convert each hexadecimal digit to its
four-bit binary pattern. The resulting set of
1s and 0s is the binary equivalent of the
hexadecimal number.

Example of Hexadecimal to
Binary Conversion
Convert A3D7 to binary.

1010 0011 1101 0111

Numbering Systems

Decimal to Hexadecimal
Conversion
There are two methods to choose from:
Do a decimal-to-binary conversion and then a
binary-to-hexadecimal conversion.
Do a direct conversion using the repeated
division method.
Since this is a conversion to hexadecimal, 16 is the
divisor each time.

 This example converts 853 to hexadecimal.

Step 1:
853 / 16 = 53 Remainder 5

Step 2:
The remainder of 5 becomes the LEAST
significant digit of the number.
5

An Example of the Repeated

Division Method
Step 3:
Divide the quotient from Step 1 by 2 all the way
out.
53 / 16 = 3 Remainder 5

Step 4:
The remainder of 5 becomes the next digit of
the number.
5 5

An Example of the Repeated

Division Method
Step 5:
The final quotient of 3 comes down to be the
most significant digit.

3 5 5

So, the hexadecimal equivalent of 853 is

355.

Numbering Systems

Decimal to Hexadecimal
Conversion
Note:
Since you are dividing by 16 in the repeated
division method for decimal-to-hex conversion,
you could end up with remainders of anywhere
from 0 to 15.
If a remainder is 10 to 15, you convert it to the
single hex symbol when you add the digit to the
hex number youre building.

Another Decimal-to-Hex
Example
Let s convert decimal 60 to hexadecimal.
60 /16 = 3 Remainder 12

3C
The remainder of 12 is represented by its hex
symbol C in the resulting number and the
quotient of 3 cant be divided by 16 so it
comes down to be the most significant digit of
the hex number.

Numbering Systems

Hexadecimal Number
System

16
16 16 16
4096 256 16 1
2
F
A 4

Converting Hexadecimal
Numbers to Decimal
Multiply each digit of the hex number by
its place value and add the results.
For example, converting 2FA4

2 x 4096 = 8192
15 x 256 = 3840 (convert F to 15)
10 x 16 = 160 (convert A to 10)
4 x 1 =+_ 4
12,196

Electronics Prefixes
There is a set of of terms used in
electronics used to represent different
powers of ten.
There is a set of terms used to represent
large whole numbers and a set of terms
used to represent small fractional numbers.

Electronics Prefixes for Large

Whole Numbers
Prefix

Value

Abbreviation

Kilo

1,000

Mega

1,000,000

Giga

1,000,000,000

Tera

1,000,000,000,000

Electronics Prefixes for Small

Fractional Numbers
Prefix

Value

Abbreviation

milli

1 / 1,000

micro

1 / 1,000,000

nano

1 / 1,000,000,000

pico 1 / 1,000,000,000,000

Exceptions to the Rule

A kilobyte (KB) is 1,024 bytes.
A megabyte (MB) is 1,048,576 bytes.
These values come from the nearest binary
place values to 1,000 and 1,000,000.

A Code for Letters and Symbols

PCs use a standard binary code to
represents letters of the alphabet, numerals,
punctuation marks and other special
characters.
The code is called ASCII (pronounced askey) which stands for American Standard
Code for Information Interchange.
There are 256 code combinations.

Examples of ASCII
Representation
Character

Code

Hex

0100 0001

41

0011 1111

3F

0011 1000

38

space

0010 0000

20

A Method for Detecting Errors

When all the information is represented by
binary numbers, accuracy of each binary
digit is absolutely essential.
A change of just one bit in a byte can
completely change the meaning of the byte.

Examples of Binary Errors

Original
Code
0100
0111
1000
0011
1001
1110

Meaning Changed Meaning

Code
G
0100
C
0011
131
0000
3
0011
Add
1001
Subtract
1111

The Parity Method for Detecting

Errors
A special circuit counts the number of 1
bits in a byte and adds a special ninth bit
called the parity bit.
When the stored byte is later read out, the
parity checking circuit re-counts the
number of 1 bits and check for the correct
number.

Parity Bits
There are two methods for checking parity:
Odd
Even

Both methods are equally effective but the

method must be consistent within an
operation.
If odd parity was used to store the byte, odd
parity must be used to read it.

Odd Parity
The parity checking circuit counts the
number of 1 bits and adds the parity bit to
make the total number of 1 bits an ODD
number.
Examples
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 has four 1s so the parity bit
would be a 1
1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 has five 1s so the parity bit
would be a 0

Even Parity
The parity checking circuit counts the
number of 1 bits and adds the parity bit to
make the total number of 1 bits an EVEN
number.
Examples
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 has four 1s so the parity bit
would be a 0
1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 has five 1s so the parity bit
would be a 1

Summary