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Number Bases Project

The document discusses number bases, focusing on base 10, binary (base 2), and hexadecimal (base 16) systems, explaining their significance in mathematics and computer science. It includes tasks for students to convert numbers into binary and hexadecimal, as well as to explore geometric sequences and series. Additionally, it outlines the relationship between different bases and their applications in representing numerical values.

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nickdanielz21
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25 views3 pages

Number Bases Project

The document discusses number bases, focusing on base 10, binary (base 2), and hexadecimal (base 16) systems, explaining their significance in mathematics and computer science. It includes tasks for students to convert numbers into binary and hexadecimal, as well as to explore geometric sequences and series. Additionally, it outlines the relationship between different bases and their applications in representing numerical values.

Uploaded by

nickdanielz21
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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Math Project - Number Bases

In elementary and middle school mathematics, students are introduced to


place value. We often write numbers in base 10, meaning that each digit
represents a power of 10. Notice that the coefficients (the numbers before
each power of 10) are all between and 0 and 9. Why is this?

Example:
243560.02  2 * 105  4 * 10 4  3 * 10 3  5 * 10 2  6 * 101  0 * 10 0  0 * 10 1  2 * 10 2

In many applications, it is important to write numbers using a different base.


For example, in computer science, base 2 (binary) and base 16 (hexadecimal)
are used in order to represent numbers that correspond to switches being
turned on or off. In pure mathematics, other bases can also be used to
examine important mathematical properties. An example would be the Cantor
fractal, which uses numbers in base 3, first examined by the German
mathematician Georg Cantor.

Writing Numbers in Binary


In the binary number system, all numbers are written using powers
of 2. Notice that the coefficients are all 0’s and 1’s.

Example: The number 100110 is equal to 1 * 2 5  1 * 2 2  1 * 21 =38


On the other hand , the number 140 is equal to 128 +8 +4
Which can be written as 2 7  2 3  2 2 =10001100

Task
1. Write the numbers 61, 73, 212 and 1000 in binary.
2. What can you say about a number that ends in 1 when you write it in
binary? What about a number that ends in a 0?
3. What can you say about a number whose binary representation
contains a 1, followed by all zeros?
The Hexadecimal System
The hexadecimal system is a base 16 system that is often used in computer
science in order to help deal with binary strings that are of length 8 (bytes).
The reason this is done is that a binary number with eight digits has a term
that is equal to 28=256. Since 162 =256, bytes can be represented using two
digits in the hexadecimal system, making it easier to work with algebraically.

The hexadecimal system contains the numbers 0-9 and a,b,c,d,e and f for
the numbers 10,11,12,13,14,15.

Example: 240678 = 3 * 16 4  10 * 16 3  12 * 16 2  2 * 16  6
=3bd26

Task
By using appropriate resources, write a paragraph about the hexadecimal
system, outlining its development and use in computer science. Convert the
number 254367839 into hexadecimal. How would you convert the number
11111111111 from hexadecimal into base 10?

Number Bases and Geometric Series


Fill in the table below:
Number in Number in Number in Number in Number in
Base 10 Base 2 Base 3 Base 4 Base 5
1
11
111
1111
11111
111111

The goal of this task is to find out how to calculate a ‘k’ digit number in base
‘b’ consisting entirely of 1’s.

Using appropriate resources, find out information about ‘geometric


sequences’ and series. In particular, answer the following questions?

1. What is a geometric sequence and how is it defined?


2. How do you calculate the sum of the first k terms of a geometric
sequence with common ratio b?
3. Explain how the number 11111….1111 in base b forms a geometric
series, and demonstrate how you could convert 11111111111 in base b to
base 10.
4. Extend your pattern from question 3 to numbers such as 2222222 or
3333333. In general, how do you convert nnnnnnnnnnnnn from base b
into base 10, if n<b?

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