Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K.
Sinha & Priti Sinha
Computer Fundamentals
Pradeep K. Sinha
Priti Sinha
Chapter 3
Number Systems
Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 1/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Learning Objectives
In this chapter you will learn about:
Non-positional number system
Positional number system
Decimal number system
Binary number system
Octal number system
Hexadecimal number system
(Continued on next slide)
Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 2/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Learning Objectives
Convert a numbers base
Another base to decimal base
Decimal base to another base
Some base to another base
Shortcut methods for converting
Binary to octal number
Octal to binary number
Binary to hexadecimal number
Hexadecimal to binary number
Fractional numbers in binary number system
Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 3/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Number Systems
Two types of number systems are:
Non-positional number systems
Positional number systems
Ref. Page 23 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 4/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Basics and Few Popular
Number Systems
Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 5/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Non-positional Number Systems
Characteristics
Use symbols such as I for 1, II for 2, III for 3, IIII
for 4, IIIII for 5, etc
Each symbol represents the same value regardless
of its position in the number
The symbols are simply added to find out the value
of a particular number
Difficulty
It is difficult to perform arithmetic with such a
number system
Ref. Page 23 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 6/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Positional Number Systems
Characteristics
Use only a few symbols called digits
These symbols represent different values depending
on the position they occupy in the number
(Continued on next slide)
Ref. Page 24 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 7/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Positional Number Systems
The value of each digit is determined by:
1. The digit itself
2. The position of the digit in the number
3. The base of the number system
(base = total number of digits in the number
system)
The maximum value of a single digit is always equal to
one less than the value of the base
Ref. Page 24 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 8/43
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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 24 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 9/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Decimal Number System
Example
258610 = (2 x 103) + (5 x 102) + (8 x 101) + (6 x 100)
= 2000 + 500 + 80 + 6
Ref. Page 24 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 10/43
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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 24 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 11/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Binary Number System
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 25 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 12/43
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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 25 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 13/43
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 25 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 14/43
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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 25 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 15/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Octal Number System
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 25 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 16/43
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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 25 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 17/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Hexadecimal Number System
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 25 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 18/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Converting from One
Number System to Another
Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 19/43
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 26 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 20/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Converting a Number of Another Base to a
Decimal Number
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
= 250210
Ref. Page 26 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 21/43
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 28 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 22/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Converting a Decimal Number to a Number
of Another 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, 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 28 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 23/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Converting a Decimal Number to a Number
of Another Base
Example
95210 = ?8
Solution:
8 952 Remainders
119 0
14 7
1 6
0 1
Hence, 95210 = 16708
Ref. Page 29 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 24/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Converting from a Base Other Than 10 to
Another Base Other Than 10
Method
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
(Continued on next slide)
Ref. Page 30 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 25/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Converting from a Base Other Than 10 to
Another Base Other Than 10
Example
5456 = ?4
Solution:
Step 1: Convert from base 6 to base 10
5456 = 5 x 62 + 4 x 61 + 5 x 60
= 5 x 36 + 4 x 6 + 5 x 1
= 180 + 24 + 5
= 20910
(Continued on next slide)
Ref. Page 30 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 26/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Converting from a Base Other Than 10 to
Another Base Other Than 10
Step 2: Convert 20910 to base 4
4 209 Remainders
52 1
13 0
3 1
0 3
Hence, 20910 = 31014
So, 5456 = 20910 = 31014
Thus, 5456 = 31014
Ref. Page 31 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 27/43
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 32 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 28/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Shortcut Method for Converting a Binary
Number to its Equivalent Octal Number
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 32 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 29/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Shortcut Method for Converting an 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 32 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 30/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Shortcut Method for Converting an Octal
Number to Its Equivalent Binary Number
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 33 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 31/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Shortcut Method for Converting a Binary
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 33 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 32/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Shortcut Method for Converting a Binary
Number to its Equivalent Hexadecimal Number
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 33 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 33/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
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 34 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 34/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Shortcut Method for Converting a Hexadecimal
Number to its Equivalent Binary Number
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 34 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 35/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Shortcut Method for Converting a Hexadecimal
Number to its Equivalent Binary Number
Step 2: Combine the binary groups
2AB16 = 0010 1010 1011
2 A B
Hence, 2AB16 = 0010101010112
Ref. Page 34 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 36/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Fractional Numbers
Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 37/43
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 35 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 38/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
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 35 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 39/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Formation of Fractional Numbers in
Binary Number System (Example)
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 36 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 40/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
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 35 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 41/43
Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Formation of Fractional Numbers in
Octal Number System (Example)
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 36 Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 42/43
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Computer Fundamentals : Pradeep K. Sinha & Priti Sinha
Key Words/Phrases
Base Least Significant Digit (LSD)
Binary number system Memory dump
Binary point Most Significant Digit (MSD)
Bit Non-positional number
Decimal number system system
Division-Remainder technique Number system
Fractional numbers Octal number system
Hexadecimal number system Positional number system
Chapter 03: Number Systems Slide 43/43
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