Lecture 4

Number Systems
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Decimal Number System

Characteristics
▪ A positional number system
▪ Has 10 symbols or digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9). Hence, its base = 10
▪ The maximum value of a single digit is 9 (one
less than the value of the base)
▪ Each position of a digit represents a specific
power of the base (10)
▪ We use this number system in our day-to-day
life

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 20 Slide 4/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Decimal Number System

(Continued from previous slide..)

Example

258610 = (2 x 103) + (5 x 102) + (8 x 101) + (6 x 100)

= 2000 + 500 + 80 + 6

Ref Page 20 Slide 5/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Binary Number System

Characteristics
▪ A positional number system
▪ Has only 2 symbols or digits (0 and 1). Hence its
base = 2
▪ The maximum value of a single digit is 1 (one less
than the value of the base)
▪ Each position of a digit represents a specific power
of the base (2)
▪ This number system is used in computers

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 6/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Binary Number System

(Continued from previous slide..)

Example

101012 = (1 x 24) + (0 x 23) + (1 x 22) + (0 x 21) x (1 x 20)

= 16 + 0 + 4 + 0 + 1

= 2110

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 7/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Representing Numbers in Different Number

Systems
In order to be specific about which number system we
are referring to, it is a common practice to indicate the
base as a subscript. Thus, we write:

101012 = 2110

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 8/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Bit

▪ Bit stands for binary digit

▪ A bit in computer terminology means either a 0 or a 1

▪ A binary number consisting of n bits is called an n-bit

number

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 9/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Octal Number System

Characteristics
▪ A positional number system
▪ Has total 8 symbols or digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).
Hence, its base = 8
▪ The maximum value of a single digit is 7 (one less
than the value of the base
▪ Each position of a digit represents a specific power of
the base (8)

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 10/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Octal Number System

(Continued from previous slide..)

▪ Since there are only 8 digits, 3 bits (23 = 8) are

sufficient to represent any octal number in binary

Example

20578 = (2 x 83) + (0 x 82) + (5 x 81) + (7 x 80)

= 1024 + 0 + 40 + 7

= 107110

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 11/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Hexadecimal Number System

Characteristics
▪ A positional number system
▪ Has total 16 symbols or digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F). Hence its base = 16
▪ The symbols A, B, C, D, E and F represent the
decimal values 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15
respectively
▪ The maximum value of a single digit is 15 (one less
than the value of the base)

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 12/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Hexadecimal Number System

(Continued from previous slide..)

▪ Each position of a digit represents a specific power

of the base (16)
▪ Since there are only 16 digits, 4 bits (24 = 16) are
sufficient to represent any hexadecimal number in
binary

Example
1AF16 = (1 x 162) + (A x 161) + (F x 160)
= 1 x 256 + 10 x 16 + 15 x 1
= 256 + 160 + 15
= 43110

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 13/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Converting a Number of Another Base to a

Decimal Number
Method

Step 1: Determine the column (positional) value of

each digit

Step 2: Multiply the obtained column values by the

digits in the corresponding columns

Step 3: Calculate the sum of these products

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 14/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Converting a Number of Another Base to a

Decimal Number
(Continued from previous slide..)

Example
47068 = ?10
Common
values
multiplied
47068 = 4 x 83 + 7 x 82 + 0 x 81 + 6 x 80 by the
corresponding
= 4 x 512 + 7 x 64 + 0 + 6 x 1 digits
= 2048 + 448 + 0 + 6 Sum of these
products
= 2502 10

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 15/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Converting a Decimal Number to a Number

of Another Base
Division-Remainder Method
Step 1: Divide the decimal number to be converted by
the value of the new base

Step 2: Record the remainder from Step 1 as the

rightmost digit (least significant digit) of the
new base number

Step 3: Divide the quotient of the previous divide by the

new base

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 16/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Converting a Decimal Number to a

Number of Another Base
(Continued from previous slide..)

Step 4: Record the remainder from Step 3 as the next

digit (to the left) of the new base number

Repeat Steps 3 and 4, recording remainders from right to

left, until the quotient becomes zero in Step 3

Note that the last remainder thus obtained will be the most
significant digit (MSD) of the new base number

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 17/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Converting a Decimal Number to a Number

of Another Base
(Continued from previous slide..)

Example
95210 = ?8

Solution:
8 952 Remainder
119 s 0
14 7
1 6
0 1

Hence, 95210 = 16708

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 18/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Shortcut Method for Converting a Binary

Number to its Equivalent Octal Number
Method
Step 1: Divide the digits into groups of three starting
from the right
Step 2: Convert each group of three binary digits to
one octal digit using the method of binary to
decimal conversion

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 19/40
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Shortcut Method for Converting a Binary

Number to its Equivalent Octal Number
(Continued from previous slide..)

Example
11010102 = ?8

Step 1: Divide the binary digits into groups of 3 starting

from right

001 101 010

Step 2: Convert each group into one octal digit

0012 = 0 x 22 + 0 x 21 + 1 x 20 = 1
1012 = 1 x 22 + 0 x 21 + 1 x 20 = 5
0102 = 0 x 22 + 1 x 21 + 0 x 20 = 2

Hence, 11010102 = 1528

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 20/40
 Shortcut Method for Converting an
Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Octal Number to Its Equivalent

Binary Number
Method
Step 1: Convert each octal digit to a 3 digit binary
number (the octal digits may be treated as
decimal for this conversion)

Step 2: Combine all the resulting binary groups

(of 3 digits each) into a single binary
number

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 21/40
 Shortcut Method for Converting an Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Octal Number to Its Equivalent

Binary Number
(Continued from previous slide..)

Example
5628 = ?2
Step 1: Convert each octal digit to 3 binary digits
58 = 1012, 68 = 1102, 28 = 0102

Step 2: Combine the binary groups

5628 = 101 110 010
5 6 2

Hence, 5628 = 1011100102

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 22/40
 Shortcut Method for Converting a Binary
Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Number to its Equivalent Hexadecimal

Number
Method

Step 1: Divide the binary digits into groups of four

starting from the right

Step 2: Combine each group of four binary digits to

one hexadecimal digit

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 21
Chapter 3: Number Systems Slide 23/40
 Shortcut Method for Converting a Binary Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Number to its Equivalent Hexadecimal

Number
(Continued from previous slide..)

Example

1111012 = ?16

Step 1: Divide the binary digits into groups of four

starting from the right

0011 1101

Step 2: Convert each group into a hexadecimal digit

00112 = 0 x 23 + 0 x 22 + 1 x 21 + 1 x 20 = 310 = 316
11012 = 1 x 23 + 1 x 22 + 0 x 21 + 1 x 20 = 310 = D16

Hence, 1111012 = 3D16

Ref Page 24 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Shortcut Method for Converting a
Hexadecimal Number to its Equivalent
Binary Number

Method
Step 1: Convert the decimal equivalent of each
hexadecimal digit to a 4 digit binary
number

Step 2: Combine all the resulting binary groups

(of 4 digits each) in a single binary number

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 25 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Shortcut Method for Converting a
Hexadecimal Number to its Equivalent
Binary Number
(Continued from previous slide..)

Example

2AB16 = ?2

Step 1: Convert each hexadecimal digit to a 4 digit

binary number

216 = 210 = 00102

A16 = 1010 =10102
B16 = 1110 =10112

Ref Page 26 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Shortcut Method for Converting a
Hexadecimal Number to its Equivalent
Binary Number
(Continued from previous slide..)

Step 2: Combine the binary groups

2AB16 = 0010 1010 1011
2 A B

Hence, 2AB16 = 0010101010112

Ref Page 27 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Computer Fundamentals: Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha

Fractional Numbers

Fractional numbers are formed same way as decimal

number system
In general, a number in a number system with base b
would be written as:
an an-1… a0 . a-1 a-2 … a-m

And would be interpreted to mean:

an x bn + an-1 x bn-1 + … + a0 x b0 + a-1 x b-1 + a-2 x b-2 +
… + a-m x b-m

The symbols an, an-1, …, a-m in above representation

should be one of the b symbols allowed in the number
system

Ref Page 28 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Formation of Fractional
Numbers in Binary Number
System (Example)
Binary Point

Position 4 3 2 1 0 . -1 -2 -3 -4

Position Value 24 23 22 21 20 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4

Quantity 16 8 4 2 1 1/ 1/ 1/ 1/
2 4 8 16
Represented

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 29 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Formation of Fractional
Numbers in Binary Number
System (Example)
(Continued from previous slide..)

Example

110.1012 = 1 x 22 + 1 x 21 + 0 x 20 + 1 x 2-1 + 0 x 2-2 + 1 x 2-3

= 4 + 2 + 0 + 0.5 + 0 + 0.125
= 6.62510

Ref Page 30 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Formation of Fractional
Numbers in Octal Number
System (Example)
Octal Point

Position 3 2 1 0 . -1 -2 -3

Position Value 83 82 81 80 8-1 8-2 8-3

Quantity 512 64 8 1 1/ 1/ 1/
8 64 512
Represented

(Continued on next slide)

Ref Page 31 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems
 Formation of Fractional
Numbers in Octal Number
System (Example)
• (Continued from previous slide..)
• Example

• 127.548 = 1 x 82 + 2 x 81 + 7 x 80 + 5 x 8-1 + 4 x 8-2

• = 64 + 16 + 7 + 5/8 + 4/64
• = 87 + 0.625 + 0.0625
• = 87.687510

Ref Page 32 Slide 31/40

Chapter 3: Number Systems