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Number System - An Introduction

The document provides an introduction to various number systems including Decimal, Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal, explaining their bases and symbols. It details the processes for converting between these systems, including examples and practice questions for Decimal to Binary, Binary to Decimal, Decimal to Octal, Octal to Decimal, Decimal to Hexadecimal, and Hexadecimal to Decimal conversions. The document emphasizes the importance of these conversions in computer applications and digital systems.

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Vaishnavi Samant
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18 views9 pages

Number System - An Introduction

The document provides an introduction to various number systems including Decimal, Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal, explaining their bases and symbols. It details the processes for converting between these systems, including examples and practice questions for Decimal to Binary, Binary to Decimal, Decimal to Octal, Octal to Decimal, Decimal to Hexadecimal, and Hexadecimal to Decimal conversions. The document emphasizes the importance of these conversions in computer applications and digital systems.

Uploaded by

Vaishnavi Samant
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Smt.

Sulochanadevi Singhania School

NUMBER SYSTEM – AN INTRODUCTION

We human beings have been always looking for ways to count things. For
example, one, two, three, four and so on.

A number system is a way to represent numbers. In day-to-day life or in


mathematics, we use Decimal Number System also called as Base 10 number
system. In Decimal number system, we have 10 symbols or digits i.e
0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9. This number system has come into existence as a result of
the fact that man has 10 fingers.

Computer is a digital electronic device which understands only two symbols or


digits i.e 0 and 1 called as binary digits. Computer represents all kind of data and
information (text, numbers, graphics, video, etc.) in binary numbers which have a
base of 2 (as the computer uses only 2 digits, 0 and 1). This number system is
called as Binary Number System or Base 2 number system. In this number system,
we count the numbers as 0, 1, 10, 11, 100, 101, 110, 111, 1000 etc.

Besides Decimal and Binary number system, we also have Octal and Hexadecimal
number system.

Octal Number System also called as Base 8 number system, has 8 symbols or
digits i.e 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Every number in Octal number system is a
combination of these digits. For example 220, 734, 57 are octal numbers.

Hexadecimal Number System also called as Base 16 number system, has 16


symbols i.e 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F. Here A represents 10, B
represents 11... and F represents 15.

All these number systems have widespread application in digital systems.

Number System - Table

Number System Base Digits Symbols


Binary 2 0, 1
Octal 8 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Decimal 10 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Hexadecimal 16 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F
The interconversion from one number system to another is possible.

Now we will learn Decimal to Binary and Binary to Decimal conversion.

The input given to a computer by us is in decimal number system. So, it has to be


converted to binary number system, so that the computer understands. After the
computer works with the binary data, the result of the operation has to be again
converted to decimal number system, for us to understand.

Thus the need for conversion arises.

DECIMAL TO BINARY CONVERSION

To convert decimal number to binary we can use repeated-division method. In


this method, the decimal number is successively divided by 2 to get the
remainders. The final binary number is obtained by assembling together all the
remainders from bottom to top.

Example 1. Convert decimal number 124 to binary number.

2 124
2 62 0
2 31 0
2 15 1
2 7 1
2 3 1
1 1

The decimal number 124 in binary is 1111100

Examples for Practice:

Convert Decimal to Binary by repeated division method.

(a) 143 (b) 100 (c) 173 (d) 97 (e) 121

BINARY TO DECIMAL CONVERSION

To convert the binary number into decimal, we simply find the sum of the products
of each binary digit and its positional power to the base 2.

For example, the positional powers are given as follows:

24 23 22 21 20
1 0 1 1 0
0 1 2
Here, 2 , 2 , 2 , etc. are positional powers, starting from right side with the power
of 0.

Example 1. Convert Binary number 1010 to Decimal.

23 22 21 20
1 0 1 0

1 × 23 + 1 × 21

1×8+1×2

8 + 2 = 10

Note: The digit 0 and its positional power can be omitted in calculation since
the product of any number when multiplied with zero is a zero.

So, the Binary number 1010 can be represented in Decimal as 10.

Examples for Practice

Convert Binary number to Decimal number.

(a) 10110 (b) 11011 (c) 11100 (d) 1001 (e) 101010

CONVERSION OF DECIMAL TO OCTAL


A number with base 8 is the octal number. Following are the uses of Octal number
system.
Use of Octal Number System
1. The Octal Number system is widely used in computer application sectors and
digital numbering systems. The computing systems use 16-bit, 32-bit or 64-bit
word which is further divided into 8-bits words.
2. The octal number is also used in the aviation sector in the form of a code.
We will convert a decimal number to an equivalent octal number. In case of
decimal to octal, we divide the number by 8 and write the remainders in the
reverse order to get the equivalent octal number.

Steps to convert Decimal to Octal


Follow the steps given below to learn the decimal to octal conversion:

1. Write the given decimal number.


2. If the given decimal number is less than 8 the octal number is the same.
3. If the decimal number is greater than 7 then divide the number by 8.
4. Note the remainder, we get after division.
5. Repeat step 3 and 4 with the quotient till it is less than 8.
6. Now, write the remainders in reverse order (bottom to top).
7. The resultant is the equivalent octal number to the given decimal number.

For example: Convert 179 into an octal number.

8 179

8 22 3

8 2 6

0 2

Since the quotient is zero now, no more division can be done. So by taking the
remainders in reverse order, we get the equivalent octal number.
Hence, (179)10 = (263)8
For easy reference, the table of 8 upto multiples of 20 is given below.
Practice questions:
Convert the following Decimal numbers into Octal.
1. 53 2. 103 3. 456 4. 212 5. 165

CONVERSION OF OCTAL TO DECIMAL

To convert octal to decimal, we need to multiply the octal digits with the power of
8 starting from the right-hand side and gradually decreasing to zero to sum up, all
the products. Here are the steps to convert a number from octal to decimal.

For example:
Convert (141)8 into a decimal number.
82 81 80
1 4 1

1 x 8 2 + 4 x 81 + 1 x 8 0
64 + 32 + 8
104
Hence, (141)8 = (104)10

For easy reference, the powers of 8 are given below.


Practice questions:
Convert the following Octal numbers into Decimal.
1. 165 2. 3321 3. 2304 4. 1016 5. 1982

CONVERSION OF DECIMAL TO HEXADECIMAL

A hexadecimal number system is also known as a positional number system as


each digit has a weight of power 16. Each digit is 16 times more significant than
the previous digit.

Steps to convert a decimal number to hexadecimal

1. Divide the given decimal number system value by 16 and note


the remainder.
2. Divide the quotient by 16. Repeat this until you get a quotient equal to zero.
3. Use the characters A, B, C, D, E, F in place of 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the
remainders respectively, wherever needed.
4. Follow the reverse order pattern to arrange all the values of the remainder.
5. The obtained number is the required hexadecimal number.

Use of Hexadecimal Number System


 To define locations in memory. Hexadecimals can characterize every byte
as two hexadecimal digits only compared to eight digits when using binary.

 To define colours on web pages. Each primary colour – red, green and blue
is characterized by two hexadecimal digits. The format being used is
#RRGGBB. RR stands for red, GG stands for green and BB stands for blue.

 To represent Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. MAC addresses


consist of 12-digit hexadecimal number assigned to each device connected
to the network.

 To display error messages. Hexadecimals are used to define the memory


location of the error. This is useful for programmers in finding and fixing
errors.
Example 1: Convert (960)10 to hexadecimal

16 960
16 60 0
16 3 12
0 3

(960)10 = (3C0)16

Note: When the quotient for any one number is more than 10, it is
written as the alphabet it represents in hexadecimal. (In the above
example, 12 is written as C in the answer).
Example 2: Convert (600)10 to hexadecimal

16 600
16 37 8
16 2 5
0 2

(600)10 = (258)16
CONVERSION OF HEXADECIMAL TO DECIMAL

Example 1: Convert (25)16 to decimal number

161 160
2 5

2 × 161 + 5 × 160
2 × 16 + 5 × 1
32 + 5
37
Therefore, (25)16 = (37)10
Example 2: Convert (5EF)16 into the decimal system.

In Hexadecimal system,

5=5
E = 14
F = 15

162 161 160


5 E F

5 × 162 + 14 × 161 + 15 × 160


5 × 256 + 14 × 16 +15 × 1
(1519)10

Practice questions:
Convert the following hexadecimal to decimal numbers.

1. 7AD 2. 145 B 3. 10EA 4. 456 5. 8AF

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