As a computer programmer or an IT professional, you should understand the following
number systems which are frequently used in computers.
S.N. Number System & Description
1 Binary Number System
Base 2. Digits used: 0, 1
2 Octal Number System
Base 8. Digits used: 0 to 7
3 Hexa Decimal Number System
Base 16. Digits used: 0 to 9, Letters used: A- F
Binary Number System
Characteristics
Uses two digits, 0 and 1.
Also called base 2 number system
Each position in a binary number represents a 0 power of the base (2). Example:
20
Last position in a binary number represents an x power of the base (2). Example:
2 where x represents the last position - 1.
x
Example
Binary Number: 10101 2
Calculating Decimal Equivalent −
Step Binary Number Decimal Number
Step 10101 2 ((1 × 2 ) + (0 × 2 ) + (1 × 2 ) + (0 × 2 ) + (1 × 2 ))
4 3 2 1 0
10
Step 10101 2 (16 + 0 + 4 + 0 + 1) 10
Step 10101 2 21 10
Note: 10101 is normally written as 10101.
2
Octal Number System
Characteristics
Uses eight digits, 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7.
Also called base 8 number system
Each position in an octal number represents a 0 power of the base (8). Example:
80
Last position in an octal number represents an x power of the base (8). Example:
8 where x represents the last position - 1.
x
Example
Octal Number − 12570 8
Calculating Decimal Equivalent −
Step Octal Number Decimal Number
Step 12570 8 ((1 × 8 ) + (2 × 8 ) + (5 × 8 ) + (7 × 8 ) + (0 × 8 ))
4 3 2 1 0
10
Step 12570 8 (4096 + 1024 + 320 + 56 + 0) 10
Step 12570 8 5496 10
Note: 12570 is normally written as 12570.
8
Hexadecimal Number System
Characteristics
Uses 10 digits and 6 letters, 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F.
Letters represents numbers starting from 10. A = 10, B = 11, C = 12, D = 13, E =
14, F = 15.
Also called base 16 number system.
Each position in a hexadecimal number represents a 0 power of the base (16).
Example 16 . 0
Last position in a hexadecimal number represents an x power of the base (16).
Example 16 where x represents the last position - 1.
x
Example −
Hexadecimal Number: 19FDE 16
Calculating Decimal Equivalent −
Step Hexadecimal Number Decimal Number
Step 19FDE 16 ((1 × 16 ) + (9 × 16 ) + (F × 16 ) + (D × 16 ) + (E × 16 ))
4 3 2 1 0
10
Step 19FDE 16 ((1 × 16 ) + (9 × 16 ) + (15 × 16 ) + (13 × 16 ) + (14 × 16 ))
4 3 2 1 0
10
Step 19FDE 16 (65536 + 36864 + 3840 + 208 + 14) 10
Step 19FDE 16 106462 10
There are many methods or techniques which can be used to convert numbers from one base to
another. We'll demonstrate here the following −
Decimal to Other Base System
Other Base System to Decimal
Other Base System to Non-Decimal
Shortcut method − Binary to Octal
Shortcut method − Octal to Binary
Shortcut method − Binary to Hexadecimal
Shortcut method − Hexadecimal to Binary
Decimal to Other Base System
Steps
Step 1 − Divide the decimal number to be converted by the value of the new base.
Step 2 − Get the remainder from Step 1 as the rightmost digit (least significant digit) of
new base number.
Step 3 − Divide the quotient of the previous divide by the new base.
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, getting remainders from right to left, until the quotient becomes zero in
Step 3.
The last remainder thus obtained will be the Most Significant Digit (MSD) of the new base
number.
Example −
Decimal Number: 2910
Calculating Binary Equivalent −
Step Operation Result Remainder
Step 1 29 / 2 14 1
Step 2 14 / 2 7 0
Step 3 7/2 3 1
Step 4 3/2 1 1
Step 5 1/2 0 1
As mentioned in Steps 2 and 4, the remainders have to be arranged in the reverse order so that
the first remainder becomes the Least Significant Digit (LSD) and the last remainder becomes
the Most Significant Digit (MSD).
Decimal Number − 2910 = Binary Number − 111012.
Other Base System to Decimal System
Steps
Step 1 − Determine the column (positional) value of each digit (this depends on the
position of the digit and the base of the number system).
Step 2 − Multiply the obtained column values (in Step 1) by the digits in the
corresponding columns.
Step 3 − Sum the products calculated in Step 2. The total is the equivalent value in
decimal.
Example
Binary Number − 111012
Calculating Decimal Equivalent −
Step Binary Number Decimal Number
Step 1 111012 ((1 × 24) + (1 × 23) + (1 × 22) + (0 × 21) + (1 × 20))10
Step 2 111012 (16 + 8 + 4 + 0 + 1)10
Step 3 111012 2910
Binary Number − 111012 = Decimal Number − 2910
Other Base System to Non-Decimal System
Steps
Step 1 − Convert the original number to a decimal number (base 10).
Step 2 − Convert the decimal number so obtained to the new base number.
Example
Octal Number − 258
Calculating Binary Equivalent −
Step 1 − Convert to Decimal
Step Octal Number Decimal Number
Step 1 258 ((2 × 81) + (5 × 80))10
Step 2 258 (16 + 5 )10
Step 3 258 2110
Octal Number − 258 = Decimal Number − 2110
Step 2 − Convert Decimal to Binary
Step Operation Result Remainder
Step 1 21 / 2 10 1
Step 2 10 / 2 5 0
Step 3 5/2 2 1
Step 4 2/2 1 0
