CS & IT Conversions - converting a number to binary

---

• (1) how to calculate binary
• (2) convert number to binary code
• (3) how to convert from binary to decimal
• (4) convert integer to binary

CS & IT Conversions
There are several number systems that you will use when working with computers. These
include decimal, binary, octal, and hexadecimal. Knowing how to convert between these
number systems is very important. Note: All the following number systems will explain only
positive integers unless otherwise stated.
Decimal (Base 10)
Decimal or base 10 is the number system that is normally used. The digits 0-9 are used to
write all numbers. Reviewing how decimal works will make working in other number
systems easier. In decimal, each place has a value or magnitude; for example, tens place and
ones place. Each place is a power of 10. See Example 1. All number systems follow this
same format.
Example 1: 25,198
Magnitude as 104 103 102 101 100
Powers of Ten
Magnitude 10,000 1,000 100 10 1
2 5 1 9 8
So the number 25,198 is the same as:
? 2 * 104 + 5 * 103 + 1 * 102 + 9 * 101 + 8 * 100
? 2 * 10,000 + 5 * 1,000 + 1 * 100 + 9 * 10 + 8 * 1
? 20,000 + 5,000 + 100 + 90 + 8
Unsigned Binary (Base 2)
The difference between unsigned binary and decimal is that you have only two digits that are
used to make up all binary numbers instead of ten. The two digits in binary are 0 and 1. The
place values are powers of two instead of powers of ten. Just as decimal has 100 at the right
most place, binary has 20 at the right most place. Just as decimal has 101 one place left of 100,
binary has 21 one place left of 20.
Example 2: Convert the unsigned binary number 101 to decimal.
Magnitude as Powers 22 21 20
of 2
Magnitude 4 2 1
1 0 1
The binary number 101 is the same as these values in decimal:
? 1 * 22 + 0 * 21 + 1 * 20
? 1*4+0*2+1*1
? 4+0+1
The binary number 101 is 5 in decimal.
CS & IT Conversions
Provided by the Academic Center for Excellence 1 Reviewed June 2008
To convert from decimal to unsigned binary, again use the magnitude of each place value in
binary. Start by writing out the magnitudes of binary until you write a value that is larger than
the number you are trying to write. Then subtract the largest magnitude that is smaller than
the number you are converting to decimal from the number you are converting to decimal.
Place a one under that magnitude and repeat until you have 0. Then fill in any empty spaces
with zeros.
124
- 64
Example 3: Convert 124 to unsigned binary. 60
- 32
Magnitude 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1 28
1 1 1 1 1 0 0 - 16
12 124 is
1111100 in unsigned binary. - 8
4
- 4
0
Example 4: Convert 65 to unsigned binary.
Magnitude 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1 65
1 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 64
1
65 is 1000001 in unsigned binary. - 1
0
Octal (Base 8)
With octal you have 8 digits, the numbers 0-7, and the place values are the powers of 8.
Example 5: Convert 34158 to decimal.
(When you see a subscript as in this example, it tells you which
number system the number is in. In this case 8 represents base 8 or
octal.)
Magnitude as 83 82 81 80
Powers of 8
Magnitude 512 64 8 1
3 4 1 5
34158 is the same as these values in decimal:
? 3 * 83 + 4 * 82 + 1 * 81 + 5 * 80
? 3 * 512 + 4 * 64 + 1 * 8 + 5 * 1
? 1536 + 256 + 8 + 5
? 1805
Provided by the Academic Center for Excellence 2 CS & IT Conversions
To convert from decimal to octal, the steps are similar as converting from decimal to binary.
First, write out the magnitudes of octal until you write a magnitude that is larger than the
number you are converting. Next, divide the number you are converting by each magnitude.
Write the integer part of the quotient under the magnitude. Then multiply the magnitude
and the integer part of the quotient under it. Next, subtract the product from the number
you are converting. Repeat this process until you have zero.
Example 6: Convert 197 to octal.
Step 1: 197/512 = 0 R 197
Magnitude 512 64 8 1
0
Step 2: 197/64 = 3 R 5 197
64 * 3 = 192 - 192
5
Magnitude 512 64 8 1
0 3
Step 3: 5/8 = 0 R 5 5
8*0=0 - 0
5
Magnitude 512 64 8 1
0 3 0
Step 4: 5/1 = 5 5
1*5=5 - 5
0
Magnitude 512 64 8 1
0 3 0 5
So 197 is 3058 in octal.
Hexadecimal (Base 16)
Provided by the Academic Center for Excellence 3 CS & IT Conversions


How do you change numbers to binary? To convert a decimal number to binary floating point representation: Convert the absolute value of the decimal number to a binary integer plus a binary fraction. Normalize the number in binary scientific notation to obtain m and e. Set s=0 for a positive number and s=1 for a negative number.

• 1. Understanding decimal, binary, octal and hexadecimal …
• CS & IT Conversions
• Counting in base 10, 2 and 16 1. Binary Numbers - UC Davis
• DECIMAL, BINARY, AND HEXADECIMAL - University of …
• Conversion of Binary, Octal and Hexadecimal Numbers