NUMBER SYSTEM | Group Seven Presentation Computer Science | Mathematics

GROUP SEVEN PRESENTS

THE NUMBER SYSTEM

A Comprehensive Study of Numeral Systems in Computing &
Mathematics
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Binary • Octal • Decimal • Hexadecimal

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Academic Year 2024 / 2025

Department of Computer Science & Mathematics

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Number Systems 3

2. The Decimal Number System (Base-10) 4
3. The Binary Number System (Base-2) 5
4. The Octal Number System (Base-8) 7
5. The Hexadecimal Number System (Base-16) 8
6. Number System Conversions 10
7. Arithmetic Operations in Different Bases 12
8. Applications in Computing 13
9. Summary & Comparison Table 14
10. Conclusion & References 15

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1. Introduction to Number Systems

A number system is a mathematical notation for representing numbers using a consistent set of digits
or symbols. It defines the base (or radix) of the system, which determines how many unique digits are
used before repeating in a positional notation.

Why Study Number Systems?

Number systems are the backbone of all digital technology. Every computer, smartphone,
and electronic device operates using binary numbers at its core. Understanding how
different number systems work — and how to convert between them — is essential for
students of computer science, engineering, and mathematics.

1.1 Classification of Number Systems

Number System Description
Decimal Base-10 system; uses digits 0–9; everyday counting system
Binary Base-2 system; uses digits 0 and 1; used in digital electronics
Octal Base-8 system; uses digits 0–7; used in early computing
systems
Hexadecimal Base-16 system; uses digits 0–9 and letters A–F; used in
programming

1.2 Positional Notation

In a positional number system, the value of each digit depends on its position. The position represents
a power of the base. For example, in decimal (base 10): 452 = (4 × 10²) + (5 × 10¹) + (2 × 10 ⁰) = 400 +
50 + 2 = 452

Key Formula
Value = d(n) × B^n + d(n-1) × B^(n-1) + ... + d(1) × B^1 + d(0) × B^0 Where: d = digit at
that position, B = Base of the number system, n = position of the digit (starting from 0 at the
right)

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2. The Decimal Number System (Base-10)

Overview
Base: 10 | Digits Used: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Position Weight: Powers of 10

The decimal number system is the most widely used number system in everyday life. It is a base-10
positional numeral system that uses ten distinct digits: 0 through 9. The system originated from
counting on ten fingers.

2.1 Positional Values

Power Place Value
10⁰ = 1 Units place (ones)
10¹ = 10 Tens place
10² = 100 Hundreds place
10³ = 1,000 Thousands place
10⁴ = 10,000 Ten-thousands place

2.2 Example Breakdown

Example: 3,472 in Decimal
3,472 = (3 × 10³) + (4 × 10²) + (7 × 10¹) + (2 × 10 ⁰) = (3 × 1000) + (4 × 100) + (7 × 10)
+ (2 × 1) = 3000 + 400 + 70 + 2 = 3,472

The decimal system is the universal standard for human communication, business, science, and
engineering. All other number systems are typically converted to decimal to be interpreted by humans.

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3. The Binary Number System (Base-2)

Overview
Base: 2 | Digits Used: 0, 1 | Position Weight: Powers of 2 | Also called: "Machine
Language"

The binary number system uses only two digits — 0 and 1 — called bits (binary digits). It is the
fundamental language of all modern digital computers and electronic devices. Each binary digit
represents an electrical signal: 0 = OFF (low voltage) and 1 = ON (high voltage).

3.1 Positional Values in Binary

Power of 2 Decimal Equivalent
2⁰ = 1 Position 0 (rightmost)
2¹ = 2 Position 1
2² = 4 Position 2
2³ = 8 Position 3
2⁴ = 16 Position 4
2⁵ = 32 Position 5
2⁶ = 64 Position 6
2⁷ = 128 Position 7

3.2 Binary to Decimal Conversion

Example: Convert 1011₂ to Decimal
1011 = (1 × 2³) + (0 × 2²) + (1 × 2¹) + (1 × 2⁰) = (1 × 8) + (0 × 4) + (1 × 2) + (1 × 1) =
8 + 0 + 2 + 1 = 11 (in decimal)

3.3 Decimal to Binary Conversion (Division Method)

To convert a decimal number to binary, repeatedly divide by 2 and record the remainders from bottom
to top:

Example: Convert 25 (decimal) to Binary

25 ÷ 2 = 12 remainder 1 12 ÷ 2 = 6 remainder 0 6 ÷ 2 = 3 remainder 0 3 ÷ 2 = 1
remainder 1 1 ÷ 2 = 0 remainder 1 Reading remainders from bottom to top: 25₁₀ =
11001₂

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3.4 Binary Addition Rules

Operation Rule
0+0=0 No carry
0+1=1 No carry
1+0=1 No carry
1 + 1 = 10₂ Result 0, Carry 1
1 + 1 + 1 = 11₂ Result 1, Carry 1

3.5 Applications of Binary

• Computer processors process all data in binary
• Data storage: files, images, audio stored as binary
• Networking: IP addresses and data packets
• Digital logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, XOR)
• Boolean algebra and programming conditionals

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4. The Octal Number System (Base-8)

Overview
Base: 8 | Digits Used: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | Position Weight: Powers of 8 | Notation
Prefix: 0 (e.g., 0755 in Unix)

The octal number system is a base-8 positional numeral system using eight distinct digits (0–7). It was
widely used in early computing, especially in PDP minicomputers and Unix/Linux systems. One octal
digit represents exactly three binary digits (bits), making conversion between binary and octal
straightforward.

4.1 Positional Values in Octal

Power of 8 Decimal Equivalent
8⁰ = 1 Units
8¹ = 8 Eights
8² = 64 Sixty-fours
8³ = 512 Five-twelve
8⁴ = 4,096 Four thousand ninety-six

4.2 Octal to Decimal Conversion

Example: Convert 725₈ to Decimal
725₈ = (7 × 8²) + (2 × 8¹) + (5 × 8⁰) = (7 × 64) + (2 × 8) + (5 × 1) = 448 + 16 + 5 =
469₁₀

4.3 Binary to Octal Conversion (Grouping Method)

Group binary digits in sets of 3 from right to left, then convert each group:

Example: Convert 110101₂ to Octal

Binary: 110 101 Octal: 6 5 Result: 110101₂ = 65₈

4.4 Applications of Octal

• Unix/Linux file permissions (e.g., chmod 755)
• Older computing systems (PDP-8, PDP-11 minicomputers)
• Compact representation of binary data

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• Digital displays and embedded systems

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5. The Hexadecimal Number System (Base-16)

Overview
Base: 16 | Digits Used: 0–9 and A, B, C, D, E, F | Position Weight: Powers of 16 |
Notation Prefix: 0x (e.g., 0xFF in code)

The hexadecimal (hex) number system uses sixteen symbols: digits 0–9 and letters A–F. Since 16 = 2⁴,
one hex digit represents exactly four binary digits (a nibble). Hexadecimal is widely used in
programming, debugging, and hardware specification because it is more compact and human-readable
than binary.

5.1 Hexadecimal Digit Values

Hex Digit Decimal Equivalent
0–9 Same as decimal values (0 through 9)
A Decimal value 10
B Decimal value 11
C Decimal value 12
D Decimal value 13
E Decimal value 14
F Decimal value 15

5.2 Hexadecimal to Decimal Conversion

Example: Convert 2AF₁₆ to Decimal
2AF₁₆ = (2 × 16²) + (A × 16¹) + (F × 16⁰) = (2 × 256) + (10 × 16) + (15 × 1) = 512 +
160 + 15 = 687₁₀

5.3 Binary to Hexadecimal (Grouping Method)

Group binary digits in sets of 4 from right to left, then convert each group:

Example: Convert 11001111₂ to Hexadecimal

Binary: 1100 1111 Hex: C F Result: 11001111₂ = CF₁₆

5.4 Applications of Hexadecimal

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• Memory addresses in computers and processors
• HTML/CSS color codes (e.g., #FF5733 for orange-red)
• Machine code and assembly language programming
• Debugging: viewing raw memory and register values
• MAC addresses in networking (e.g., A4:C3:F0:45:22:01)
• Cryptographic hashes (MD5, SHA-256 outputs)

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6. Number System Conversions

The ability to convert between number systems is a fundamental skill in computer science. Below are
the key conversion methods between Binary, Octal, Decimal, and Hexadecimal.

6.1 Quick Reference Conversion Table (0–15)

Decimal Binary Octal Hex
0 0000 0 0
1 0001 1 1
2 0010 2 2
3 0011 3 3
4 0100 4 4
5 0101 5 5
6 0110 6 6
7 0111 7 7
8 1000 10 8
9 1001 11 9
10 1010 12 A
11 1011 13 B
12 1100 14 C
13 1101 15 D
14 1110 16 E
15 1111 17 F

6.2 Conversion Pathway Summary

Conversion Shortcuts
Binary → Octal: Group bits in 3s (right to left) Binary → Hex: Group bits in 4s (right to
left) Octal → Binary: Expand each octal digit to 3 bits Hex → Binary: Expand each hex
digit to 4 bits Any → Decimal: Expand using positional notation (sum of digit ×
base^position) Decimal → Any: Repeated division by the target base; remainders = digits
(read upward)

6.3 Worked Example: Convert 255₁₀ to All Systems

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Decimal 255 Converted to All Number Systems

Decimal: 255₁₀ Binary: 11111111₂ (8 bits all set to 1) Octal: 377₈
Hexadecimal: FF₁₆ Note: FF in hex represents the maximum value of a single byte (8
bits).

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7. Arithmetic Operations in Different Bases

7.1 Binary Addition

Example: Add 1011₂ + 1101₂
1011 + 1101 ------ 11000 Decimal check: 11 + 13 = 24 ✓ (11000₂ = 24₁₀)

7.2 Binary Subtraction (2's Complement)

Binary subtraction is often performed using 2's complement. The 2's complement of a number is
obtained by inverting all bits (1's complement) and adding 1.

Example: Subtract 0101₂ from 1001₂ (i.e., 9 - 5)

Step 1: 2's complement of 0101 = invert → 1010, add 1 → 1011 Step 2: 1001 + 1011 =
(1)0100 (ignore the carry bit) Step 3: Result = 0100₂ = 4₁₀ ✓

7.3 Hexadecimal Addition

Example: Add 3A₁₆ + 2F₁₆
A + F = 10 + 15 = 25 → write 9, carry 1 3 + 2 + 1(carry) = 6 Result: 3A₁₆ + 2F₁₆ = 69₁₆
Decimal check: 58 + 47 = 105 = 69₁₆ ✓

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8. Applications in Computing

Number systems are not just abstract concepts — they have direct, practical applications in every area
of modern computing and digital technology.

Number System Application Area

Binary (Base-2) CPU instructions, data storage, RAM addressing, logic gates,
ALU operations
Octal (Base-8) Unix/Linux file permissions, PDP computer architectures,
legacy systems
Decimal (Base-10) User-facing data, financial calculations, everyday number
display
Hexadecimal (Base-16) Memory dumps, HTML colors, MAC addresses, cryptographic
hash outputs
BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) Digital clocks, calculators, point-of-sale systems
Floating Point (IEEE 754) Scientific computation, graphics, real-number arithmetic in
CPUs

8.1 Color Representation in Hexadecimal

Web colors are specified as 6-digit hex codes representing Red, Green, and Blue values (0–255 each):

Examples
#FFFFFF = White (R:255, G:255, B:255) #000000 = Black (R:0, G:0, B:0) #FF0000 = Red
(R:255, G:0, B:0) #00FF00 = Green (R:0, G:255, B:0) #0000FF = Blue (R:0, G:0, B:255)
#FF5733 = Coral orange (used in many web designs)

8.2 Memory Addressing

Computers use hexadecimal addresses to reference memory locations. A 32-bit address can hold
values from 0x00000000 to 0xFFFFFFFF, allowing for 4 GB of addressable memory. Hex makes these
addresses compact and readable compared to their binary equivalents.

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9. Summary & Comparison Table

Feature Decimal Binary Octal Hexadecimal

Base 10 2 8 16

Digits Used 0–9 0, 1 0–7 0–9, A–F

Bits per digit ~3.32 bits 1 bit 3 bits 4 bits

Common Use Human math Computers Unix perms Programming

Example: 255 255₁₀ 11111111₂ 377₈ FF₁₆

Notation Prefix None 0b / ₂ 0/₈ 0x / ₁₆

9.1 Choosing the Right Number System

• Use Decimal for human-readable outputs and standard math
• Use Binary for low-level hardware and logic design
• Use Octal when working with Unix permissions or older systems
• Use Hexadecimal for memory, colors, addresses, and debugging

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10. Conclusion & References

Key Takeaways
1. Number systems are positional systems defined by their base (radix). 2. The four major
systems — Decimal, Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal — each have unique roles. 3. Binary
is the language of computers; all other systems map efficiently to/from it. 4. Conversions
between systems are systematic and follow clear rules. 5. Hexadecimal is preferred in
programming for its compact representation of binary data.

References
Author / Source Title / Details
Tanenbaum, A.S. Structured Computer Organization, 6th Ed. Pearson, 2013
Patterson & Hennessy Computer Organization and Design, 5th Ed. Morgan Kaufmann
Mano, M.M. Digital Design, 5th Ed. Prentice Hall, 2013
Stallings, W. Computer Organization and Architecture, 10th Ed. Pearson
W3Schools [Link] — Number Systems & Web Colors

Thank You!
Group Seven — Number System Presentation
Any questions? We are happy to discuss!

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