Name: Oluwaseun Daniel Atanda
Topic: Number System Conversions and Coding Representations
Course: Introduction to Computer science
Decimal to Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal Conversions
For this task, the first three digits of my birthdate, 13/12/2005, form the number 131.
The goal is to convert 131 into binary, octal, and hexadecimal representations, step by step.
Binary Conversion (Base 2):
The binary system uses only two digits, 0 and 1. To convert 131 into binary, I used repeated
division by 2:
131 ÷ 2 = 65 remainder 1
65 ÷ 2 = 32 remainder 1
32 ÷ 2 = 16 remainder 0
16 ÷ 2 = 8 remainder 0
8 ÷ 2 = 4 remainder 0
4 ÷ 2 = 2 remainder 0
2 ÷ 2 = 1 remainder 0
1 ÷ 2 = 0 remainder 1
Reading the remainders from bottom to top gives 10000011₂.
Thus, 131 in decimal equals 10000011 in binary (Stallings, 2017).
Octal Conversion (Base 8):
The octal system uses digits 0–7. The process involves dividing by 8:
131 ÷ 8 = 16 remainder 3
16 ÷ 8 = 2 remainder 0
2 ÷ 8 = 0 remainder 2
Reading upward gives 203₈. Therefore, 131 in decimal equals 203 in octal (Mano & Ciletti,
2017).
Hexadecimal Conversion (Base 16):
The hexadecimal system uses digits 0–9 and letters A–F. Dividing by 16 yields:
131 ÷ 16 = 8 remainder 3
8 ÷ 16 = 0 remainder 8
Thus, the hexadecimal representation is 83₁₆.
Therefore, 131 in decimal equals 83 in hexadecimal (Stallings, 2017).
Importance of Mastering Number System Conversions
The ability to convert between number systems is a fundamental skill in technology-related
fields.
While humans generally use the decimal system, computers rely on binary representations
for processing and storage.
Professionals must bridge this gap to accurately interpret machine-level operations.
One practical use case is embedded systems engineering, where microcontrollers and
processors often use hexadecimal registers for debugging.
Without conversion skills, engineers would struggle to interpret memory addresses or
bitwise configurations.
Another case is networking and cybersecurity, where packet headers, encryption keys, and
error messages are expressed in hexadecimal or binary.
Understanding conversions helps specialists quickly interpret data and troubleshoot
problems (Stallings, 2017).
Comparison of Coding Representations
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange):
ASCII is a 7-bit standard that supports 128 characters, including English letters, numbers,
and symbols.
It is efficient and lightweight, making it suitable for early computing and basic text
processing.
However, it is limited to the English alphabet and lacks support for global languages
(TechTarget, 2025).
Unicode (UTF-8):
Unicode is a universal coding system capable of representing more than one million
characters.
UTF-8, the most popular encoding, is variable-length and backward compatible with ASCII.
This makes it ideal for multilingual and cross-platform applications, such as websites,
messaging apps, and databases.
It has become the dominant encoding on the internet (The Unicode Consortium, 2019).
Gray Code:
Unlike ASCII and Unicode, Gray code is not for text representation.
It is a binary numeral system where two successive values differ by only one bit.
This property reduces errors in mechanical and digital systems, making it valuable in rotary
encoders and digital communication hardware (Dynapar, n.d.).
Recommendation
For a system that must communicate between different devices, Unicode (UTF-8) is the
most suitable choice.
Its backward compatibility with ASCII ensures smooth handling of legacy data, while its
ability to represent virtually all characters ensures future scalability.
ASCII may work for limited English-only systems, while Gray code is best suited for
hardware applications rather than text or data communication (The Unicode Consortium,
2019).
Example Where Representation Matters
Consider an international messaging platform. If ASCII were chosen instead of Unicode,
users with names containing accented or non-Latin characters would face corrupted or
unreadable text.
This would reduce user trust and usability. By contrast, Unicode ensures that all global
scripts and emojis are preserved correctly.
Similarly, in robotics, if binary encoding were used instead of Gray code for a rotary
encoder, errors in bit transitions could lead to mechanical faults or safety issues (Dynapar,
n.d.).
Choosing the correct representation is therefore crucial to both user experience and system
reliability.
References
Dynapar. (n.d.). Gray code encoders overview. Dynapar.
[Link]
code-encoders/
Mano, M. M., & Ciletti, M. D. (2017). Digital design: With an introduction to the Verilog HDL,
VHDL, and systemVerilog (6th ed.). Pearson.
Stallings, W. (2017). Computer organization and architecture (10th ed.). Pearson.
TechTarget. (2025, January 24). What is ASCII (American Standard Code for Information
Interchange). TechTarget.
[Link]
Information-Interchange
The Unicode Consortium. (2019). The Unicode standard: Principles and core concepts.
[Link]
