Number System

Learning Objectives
-·· ... . ········································································'---·----·
► Understanding Number System
es
► Converting Decimal into Binary Number System
• Understanding Computer Arithmetic
·~ ······::.:::::.::.
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" Rem~ber when you started learning counting of number~ ou used standing lines or dots to
coun1)1-'he position of these lines or dots did not change the value of number. Neither did they
have any face value. Thus, the number system that we used to learn our basics of counting
was a n~n-positional number system. But the number system that we use now in our routine
daily life is a positional number system where ~ symbols are called digits that we use for
countin~ ese have a face value and a place valu; :)
A value of each digit in a number can be determined using:
The digit,
.... 117 • The position of the digit in the number, and
The base of t he number system, where base is defined as the total number of digits
available in the number system.
·- . ~ - ~

Terms Related to the Bi!'}ary Representation of Data

BIT (Binary Digit)

The smallest unit of data recognized by the computer is called Bit. It is a unit of data that
can be eith er of the two states, 0 or 1. Groups of bits make up storage units in the
computer, called characters, bytes, or words, which are manipulated as a group. Each

... , 141 1• of the Os and 1s in the following diagram indicates a bit.

Aryabhat was India's greatest mathematician and astronomer. He introduced

the concept of O (zero) without which modern computer technology would have
T~ been non-existent.

Numbers,ae-i■
 number has the lowest weight and hence it ia called Least Significant Digit ~
a8~ 8 or 256 bytes are possible
and they can represent 256
(both in
leftmost digit of a number has the highest weight and hence it ia called most significant-
h to represent 26 lettersofthe alphabet
. (MSD) .
, .... 166 b sareenoug
tirm,), numbers from o to 9, punctuation marks, currency signs, and some
Binary Number System <y+
.,..a,oJ,. Thele 256.bytes are represented by i:"::::1'::i.--.----.--r--r-~ -.-7
1 0 0 0 1 0 ~ e binary number system consists of only 2 digit~.e. zero and on~ and 1)'.)ince this
bJnary numeral• starting from 00000000
system uses two digits, it has thP. base 2. All digital computers us., this numbe~stem and
....,Ul 11111111, • _~H;:-y:::le:---- - - - - '
L---N-lb_hl_ convert the input data from th e decimal format into its binary equivalent.

A computer cannot understand human language; rather it understands only the binary code.
HaJlabytei1calledaNlbble. It me11n Ha nibbleconai sts of 4 bits. Therefore, the data that is entered into a computer is converted into its binary equivalent. It
further converts the binary result into its decimal equivalent to generate an output.
/ 1 JJ' - "' \11111IH·r s.\ st1•111s
Advantages and Limitations of using Binary Numbers
The Cour type• ofnum her ByHlt!me are:
Wh en doing number syste m problems, @nary Numbers use only two digits for representation of data. This system can directly
► Decimal Numb,ir SyHtem it is helpful to use a subscript to indicate represent the 'ON' (1) and 'OFF" (0) states of electronic circuits that make up the computer.
► Binary Numb,ir SyHlt!m the base of the number being worked
Thus data and instruction coded in the binary language are directly understood by the
with. Thus, t he subscript "10" in 127510
► Octal Number 8yRtem indicates that we are working with the computer, making it work very fast.
► Hexadecimal Number Syetem number 1275 in base 10. A major limitation of this system is that binary representation can become very lengthy and
complex for humans. Thus, writing instruction cod~ ;nth<> binary language can be a very hard
Decimal Number System
task even for an expert computer scientist.
The decimal number 1y11tem is a base 10 number syste m (deci means ten) . The base of a
number eyetem indicates how many symbols it uses. The decimal number system u ses 10 Octal Number System
1ymbols: 0 to 9. Each of the symbols in the number system has a value associated with it. For (:[he Octal Number System has a base of 8 and, thus, has 8 digiti}:0,1,2, 3,4,5,6 and 7). The
example, 3 repre11ents a quantity of three, and 5 represents a quantity of five. concept of Octal number system came from the Native Americans as they used to count
numbers by using the space between their fingers rather than using their fingers. All the
The decimal number system is also a positional number system. Th is means that in a number
numbers that are represented in the decimal system using 10
1uch as 123, each position in th e number has a value associated with it. When you look at the Binary~
digits and in the binary system using 2 digits are represented
decimal number 123, digit 3 is in the ones or units position and represents three ones (3 * 1); 000 0
in the Octal System using these eight digits.
digit 2 is in the tens position and represents two tens (2*10); and digit 1 is in the hundreds 001 1
position and represents one hundred (1 *100). · Advantages of the Octal Number System
010 2
Since the number representation in the Binary System is
The number 123 is the sum of the values in each position of the number (100+20+3 = 123). 011 3
quite lengthy and can be difficult to handle fo r human beings,
123 = 1*100 + 2*10 + 3*1 100 4
the Octal Number System can be used for simplification.
= 1*10' +2*10 ' +3*10° 101 5
0
► We can use a group of 3 binary digits to represent any 110 6
This method is known as expanded form . The value of the numb er is found by mult' 1 · th single digit of the Octal System.
. . .h h . . .. , ip y:mg e 111 7
d1git Wlt t e weight of its pos1t1on and then adding the results. The right most digit ofa

i§; fNumber System Number System I§

AJ
__J
 die....,.
► We can
direc:tly,
eonvert an Octal Number into the Binary Number
~ 1t2:
001 110 011
4. Write the remainder• obtained in each •tep in the rev- order to form
equivalent of the given decimal number, i.e., placi111 the Leut Sipiflcant J>11k <,l&W
► In the Octal Syatem we can ,till utilize the ON-OFF electrical Thu• (16~),=(00111001 I),
moat digit) at the top and the Moat Significant Digit Cleft moat digit) at the bottoa.
ConHider the following example:
impul■e concept of the binary number 1y1tem.
f~xample 1: 86 Example 2: 2IS Eumplel: N
Hexadecimal Number System 2 2r, I -114D ....;;..2+=-'911"+,:.I_ _ !MD
I
Thi• number 1 yatcm conai1t1 of 16 digits, numbers 0-9 and the lcttors A-F.' wh o.re A-F
2
2 ""
12 () 2 12
" 49 I
repre■ent• decimal number&from 10 to 15. That moans, A is equivalent to 10, B 18 oq uivul ont 21 I
to 11, C refera to 12, and ao on. Tho base of this numhor system is 16. Thi s numhor syste m is
2
2 Ill ()
2
2
ff
a "
I 1 2
24
12
0
0
2 r, I 2 I I -MHII ff
al1<.1 known a1 Hex.
Advantalfe• of the Hexadecimal Numbe r System
2
2
2
I
()

I - MHIJ
0
_2..4,-1_ _ -
1
.MJID
0
Like tho Octal numbur HYHIAJm, Hoxudccimul number system is a lso usod 118 n compuct wuy to
'Mwrnforu : (~Ii) .-• (HJH>IOI),
menego tho lonf( Htri nl(Hof0H and l s in th o Binury numhor systcm.
► We con usu a 11roup of four binary digits to reproHont any single digit of th o hoxu dcci mul Co11vc1·11ion of Hinury to Decimal Numl,crSy11t<•m ,
1y1t.om. 'l'oconvortu hinury number into a dec-i m11l numhor, follow tho given ati,pH:

,_,~•. :;~~ ► l'J uco tho hinury diuit from theright ha nd aidcto the k.ft hand Hide.
► Writo tho corrus ponding powe r&of 2 aH 2",' 2',2' ....... Crom the right hand Hide to the k.ft
- ~'~'° ()

1
1000
1001
-- !)(JOI h und Hide heluw each hin11ry diuit.

- ()()1()

0011
·-· ()1(/()
2
a
4
1010
1011
1 WO
A
B
--+------l
C
1 AD
.--i i ½
00(11 J(Jl() 1101
► Multipl y cuch digit of the binary numbor,8 tarting from ril(ht hand Hid1J t,,wardff lllft hand
Hide , with tho vu lu eof th o corresponding poworof2.
► All th,, vu lu ee uro gunerou,d togi,ther tc, get th" numh,, r in the docimal HyHu,m .

--
01/JI
/JllO
/Jill
II
(l

7
I 1111

1110
1111
I)

J.;
Jt
_J
Thu• (11\IJ),."'(OOO I IOIOI IOI),
eonHidertho followin g exampl o:
Exam pl e 1: Con vert(l 10101), tc,docimal nu:i,h1,r

0
► Woc•un oaHily,~1nvllrt1t hmcutl1•cl mul numhur intirn hinury numhur,
I 2' 2• 2' 2'

f""""'"":=\
l'ow,;r ·
( '1111v,,,-,.i1111 of'Uc•l'lmul Into IJhrn,·y Numllcr· Sy•t<im

T,,c~,nvortn dodm nl numhor inw hinnry numl,or, follow th u uivon Hl,ups:

L Diviclo tho ,iivon d11clmn l numl,urwith tho lmHc, 2.
2, Writi, d11wn tlu, romuincluruntl tlivitl o 1.huqur,ti,mtul(uin hy2,
rv..
I
11 .. ,

Vuhw*llinury No.
:1:1.

:12

1-lunco, tho rcquirnd duci mul numhllr

11 Ill

16
8

0
4

1xa2+lxlll+0x8+ 1x4+0x2+1xl
:12+ HH0+4+0+ 1
0 ;J

a, Jt,,,,,,,,tth1111u,,, 2 ti ll tho 1411 ,,ti,,nl. iH1A1ro , (5:1) ,.

 Eirample 1: (1001), + (101)2
Eumple 2: (110010), + (11011)1
1 + - - Carry over 1 ----Carryover
0 0
0 0 0
0
0
I 0 = (1110),
~ ; ' I ' I I , • · I I
__o_ o______:_= oo o 1 1 o 1),

Hence, the required deci ma l number 1 * 64 + 0 * 32 + 1 * 16 + 1* 8 + 1 * 4 + 0 * 2 + 0 * 1 Binary Subtraction

\
64+0+16+ 8 +4+0+0 Binary subtraction consists of two steps. which a re repPatPd fo r Pach column of the numbers
(92) .. ► If the lowe r d igit is la rger tha n t he upper digit. borrow from the column to the left.
( 'omputPr Arithmetic- ► Subtract the lower value from t he upper va lue.

As a computer understands only the binary code, so the data entered into the computer by the - The comple_t,e table for binary subtraction is given below:

user is converted into binary code for processing. T his processing may involve various kinds of
Rules Meaninic
arithmetic opera tions, such a s addition , subt raction, multiplication, division , etc. on the
binary numbers. 0 - 0=0 lfO (zero) is ,ubtracted from another O(zero). th~ result ie
0 fzero)
Binary Addition
Binary addition is performed in the sa me manner as decimal addition. Binary system ha~ 1- 0 = 1 IFO (zero) 1s subtracted fmm 1. the re,,ult •• 1
only two digits (0 a nd 1) hence, the addi tion table for binary arithmetic is very simple. 1 - 1=0 lf l is subtracted from I. thPrP•ult1sO

The complete. table for binary addition 1s given below: 0-1 = I.with a If 1 1s auhtracted from 0 furo), the re,,ult "' I. Borrow I
borrow from the next from the next left column that contama the binary d1J[1t
Meaning left column (towards left hand side>.

O+O=O lfO (zero) is added to anotherO (zero). the result is O(zero)

Examp le 1: Example 2:
0+1=1 IF O(zero) is added to 1. the result is 1 Subtract (10010), from (100101), Subtract (11011), from (100100)2
1+0=1 If 1 is added to O(zero). the result is 1
1+1=0 If 1 is added to 1, the result is 10, of which we write 0 (zero) -r oo..ro -r~o..ro o
and carry over 1 as the sum and 1 acts as a carry over to the next higher l O O 1 0 0 l l
colu mn (towards left hand side). 0 1 0 0 l 1 = (10011), 0 0 0 0 1 =(1 001 ),
l+l+l=l lf 10 is added to 1, the result is 11, of which we write l as
and carryover 1 the sum and 1 acts as a carry over to the next higher
rolumn (towards left hand side).
r Most com pute r operations use the byte, or a multiple of the byte (1 6. 24. 32, 64 '
bits, etc.). Hexadecimal makes it easier to work Wlth long binary numbers as a

' byte of binary data can be represented usm gj1.: ,t two hexadecimal digita.

i
 Binary Multiplication . . . in the following manner: Example I: 01111100 + 0010
We can multiply the binary digits by proceeding
Here the dividend is 01111100, and the divisor ia 0010

If O (lDll'II) is multiplied to another O (zero). the result is O (zero). Note: Remove the zero's in the Most Significant Bit in both the dividend and di...,, dllll
doesn't change the value of the number. So the dividend becomes 1111100, and tbe ~
lfO (lDll'II) is multiplied to I, the result is O (zero).
I• Oxl•0 becomes IO.
If 1 is multiplied to o (zero). the result is O (zero).
1:s0s0
Now, use the long division method.
lxl=l If I is multiplied to I, the result is I.
Step 1: First, look at the first two numbers in the 10 i i i ilbb b 11 11 0
Example I :
Multiply (1010), and (101),
Example 2:
Multiply (1101), and (100),
dividend and compare with the divisor. Add the
n umber 1 in the quotient place. Then subtract the
1-110 I
value, you get las remainder. 1!
1 0 I 0 1 1 0 I
Step 2: Then bring down the next number from the (·)
I O 1 10
1 0 0 dividend portion and do the step 1 process again
I O I 0 0 0 0 0 Step 3: Repeat the process until the remainder 11
0 0 0 0 X becomes zero by comparing the dividend and the (·)
0 0 0 X 10
1 0 I divisor value.
1 1 0 1 X X
11
1 I 0 0 1 0 Step 4: Now, in this case, after you get the remainder
1 1 0 1 0 0 (·) 10,
value as 0, you have zero left in the dividend portion,
so bring that zero to the quotient portion. 10
Binary Division
Therefore, the resultant value is quotient value (·I 10
The division is probably one of the most challenging operations of the basic arithmetic
wh.ich is equal to 111110 00
operations. There are different ways to solve division problems using binary opera tions. Long 00
So, 01111100 + 0010= 111110
division is one of them and the easiest and the most efficient way.

Binary Divis ion Rules Example 2: 101101 + 101

The binary division is much easier than the decimal division when you remember the 101) 101101 (1001
following division rules. The main rules of the binary division include:
(·)101 .u.
Meantnar 101
l +l =I If I is divided by I, the result is I. 1·1101
I +O = 0 If I is divided by O (zero). the result is O (zero). 0
Oe-1 = Meaningless If O (zero) is divided by I, the result is meaningless. So, when you bring down the fourth bit of the dividend, it does not match with the divisor. In
order to bring down the 5th and 6th bit of the dividend, a dd two zeros in the quotient value.
O+O = Meaningless If O (zero) is divided by O (zero), the result is meaningless.