Number Base Conversion Master Guide
A Complete Reference Guide for Decimal, Binary, Hexadecimal, and Octal Systems
1. The Core Four Base Systems
In computing and digital systems, numbers are expressed across different base systems. Understanding
how to easily move between these bases is foundational for computer science, digital electronics, and
programming.
Base System Base Value Allowed Digits / Characters
Binary Base 2 0, 1
Octal Base 8 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Decimal Base 10 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Hexadecimal Base 16 0-9 and A-F (where A=10,
B=11, C=12, D=13, E=14, F=15)
2. Universal Conversion Methodologies
Technique A: Decimal to Any Base (Repeated Division)
To convert a Decimal number (Base 10) into any other radix/base, use the repeated division method:
1. Divide the decimal number by the target base value (2, 8, or 16).
2. Record the remainder of the division. If converting to Hexadecimal and the remainder is 10 to 15,
translate it to its corresponding character (A through F).
3. Take the integer quotient from that division and divide it by the target base again.
4. Repeat this loop until the quotient becomes 0.
5. Read the recorded remainders from bottom to top (the last remainder found is the most significant
digit).
Technique B: Any Base to Decimal (Positional Weight Expansion)
To convert a number from any base back into Decimal, calculate the sum of its positional expansions:
1. Identify the positional index of each digit, starting at index 0 on the far-right side and incrementing by
1 moving left.
2. Multiply each digit by the base raised to its position power: Digit × Base^Position.
3. Sum all the calculated values together to get the final base 10 value.
Technique C: The Bit-Grouping Shortcuts (Binary ↔ Octal / Hex)
Moving between Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal does not require base-10 calculations. Because 8 and
16 are perfect powers of 2 (2^3 = 8 and 2^4 = 16), you can group bits to convert immediately:
• Binary to Octal: Group binary bits into sets of 3 from right to left. Pad with leading zeros if needed.
Convert each trio using the chart.
• Binary to Hexadecimal: Group binary bits into sets of 4 from right to left. Pad with leading zeros if
needed. Convert each quad using the chart.
• Octal ↔ Hexadecimal Bridge: To convert Octal directly to Hexadecimal (or vice versa), use Binary as a
middle step. Expand each Octal digit into 3 binary bits, then regroup those exact bits into sets of 4 to
find the Hex values.
3. Master Look-Up and Bit-Grouping Chart
Decimal Hexadecimal Octal Binary (4-Bit Binary (3-Bit Trio)
Quad)
0 0 0 0000 000
1 1 1 0001 001
2 2 2 0010 010
3 3 3 0011 011
4 4 4 0100 100
5 5 5 0101 101
6 6 6 0110 110
7 7 7 0111 111
8 8 N/A 1000 N/A
9 9 N/A 1001 N/A
10 A N/A 1010 N/A
11 B N/A 1011 N/A
12 C N/A 1100 N/A
13 D N/A 1101 N/A
14 E N/A 1110 N/A
15 F N/A 1111 N/A
4. Master Step-by-Step Walkthrough Example
Let us convert the Decimal number 93 across all systems using the rules detailed above.
Target Number: Decimal 93
Step 1: Convert Decimal 93 to Binary (Repeated Division by 2)
• 93 ÷ 2 = 46 | Remainder = 1 (Least Significant Bit)
• 46 ÷ 2 = 23 | Remainder = 0
• 23 ÷ 2 = 11 | Remainder = 1
• 11 ÷ 2 = 5 | Remainder = 1
• 5 ÷ 2 = 2 | Remainder = 1
• 2 ÷ 2 = 1 | Remainder = 0
• 1 ÷ 2 = 0 | Remainder = 1 (Most Significant Bit)
Reading from bottom to top: Binary 1011101
Step 2: Convert Binary 1011101 to Octal (Grouping into Trios)
• Take 1011101 and slice from right to left into chunks of 3 bits: [1] [011] [101]
• Pad the first chunk with zeros to make it a full trio: [001] [011] [101]
• Translate each trio using our chart: 001 = 1, 011 = 3, 101 = 5
Result: Octal 135
Step 3: Convert Binary 1011101 to Hexadecimal (Grouping into Quads)
• Take 1011101 and slice from right to left into chunks of 4 bits: [101] [1101]
• Pad the first chunk with a zero to make a full quad: [0101] [1101]
• Translate each quad using our chart: 0101 = 5, 1101 = 13 (which is D)
Result: Hexadecimal 5D
Verification Check:
Decimal 93 = Binary 1011101 = Octal 135 = Hexadecimal 5D