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KS3 Bitesize Computer Science: Overflow Errors - Video Subtitles

The document discusses overflow errors which occur when a calculation results in a number larger than a computer can handle, using the example of adding 1 to 15 in binary on a 4-bit computer which would incorrectly give the answer of 0 instead of 16. Overflow errors can cause incorrect values that may lead to larger problems in other calculations.

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21 views

KS3 Bitesize Computer Science: Overflow Errors - Video Subtitles

The document discusses overflow errors which occur when a calculation results in a number larger than a computer can handle, using the example of adding 1 to 15 in binary on a 4-bit computer which would incorrectly give the answer of 0 instead of 16. Overflow errors can cause incorrect values that may lead to larger problems in other calculations.

Uploaded by

reeta ram
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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KS3 Bitesize Computer Science

Overflow errors – video subtitles

Overflow errors occur when a calculation gives a bigger result than your
computer can handle.

If you add 1 to 15 in denary, you’d get 16.

In binary, the same sum is this (on screen)

Now imagine that you have a computer that can only handle four bits –

That would mean it could only add up to 15.

Ok, what would happen if you added 1 to this number?

Well, this ‘1’ plus this ‘1’, would equal zero, then carry 1.

The carried one plus this ‘1’ also equals zero, then carry 1.

And so on, until the sum goes beyond four bits.

This ‘1’ overflows, giving the answer zero to the sum ‘15 + 1’, which is wrong.

If your computer bases other calculations on this value, they will be wrong too
– and this could cause big problems later on…

bbc.co.uk/bitesize © Copyright 2014

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