Base conversion

Assembly language programming

By xorpd
xorpd.net
Objectives
You will learn about three ways to convert between
different number representations.
You will understand how to choose the right way
for every case of conversion.
You will experience conversion of numbers
between the Binary and Decimal systems, and
vice versa.
Why is this important?
You work with decimal numbers most of your life. Sometimes
you would like to know what a binary number looks like in
decimal.
You need to know how to decode decimal numbers into base
2, to share them with the processor.
Understanding conversion methods will unexpectedly give
you some new insights about numbering systems.
Binary to Decimal
We are given a binary representation of some quantity.
We want to find its decimal representation.
Conversion is pretty straightforward. We calculate the
value of the number according to the definition.
10112 = 1 20 + 1 21 + 0 22 + 1 23 = 1 + 2 + 0 +
8 = 1110
111102 = 0 20 + 1 21 + 1 22 + 1 23 + 1 24 = 0 +
2 + 4 + 8 + 16 = 3010
This side of the conversion is easy, because we are
used to calculations in base 10.
Works for other arbitrary bases too:
120113 = 1 30 + 1 31 + 0 32 + 2 33 + 1 34 = 1 + 3 + 0 +
54 + 81 = 13910
Decimal to Binary --
Direct evaluation
We are given a Decimal representation of quantity, and
we want to find the Binary representation.
Example: What is the binary representation of 1310 ?
Direct evaluation:
1310 = 3 100 + 1 101 = 112 10102 0 + 12 101021 = 112 +
10102 = 11012
We had know that 1010 = 10102 , and how to multiply and
exponent in base 2.
This is just like the case of converting Binary to Decimal,
however here the calculation is not comfortable.
Not fun for someone who is used to base 10. (Might be fun for a
computer, though).
Decimal to Binary --
Finding largest power
We are given a Decimal representation of quantity, and we
want to find the Binary representation.
Example: What is the binary representation of 1310 ?
Finding largest power:
We know that the binary representation is just sums of powers of 2.
We will try to find the largest power of 2 that fits into 1310 : That would be
23 = 8. ( 24 = 16 is too large). We are then left with 1310 23 = 510 .
The largest power of 2 that fits into 510 is 22 = 4. We are then left with
510 22 = 110 .
The largest power of 2 that fits into 110 is 20 = 1. We are then left with
110 20 = 0, and we are done.

We conclude that 1310 = 23 + 22 + 20 = 1 23 + 1 22 + 0 21 + 1 20 =

11012 .
Interesting fact: Every number could be composed to a sum
of distinct powers of 2 in a unique way.
Decimal to Binary --
Remainder evaluation
We are given a decimal representation of some quantity, and we want
to find the Binary representation.
Example: What is the binary representation of 1310 ?
Remainder evaluation:
Finding the first digit:
We want some number ( 3 2 1 0 )2 = 1310
( 3 2 1 0 )2 = 0 20 + 1 21 + 2 22 + = 1310
Could the number 1310 reveal anything about the values 0 , 1 , 2 , ?
1310 is odd ( 1310 1( 2)). Therefore the sum on the left must be odd. Hence 0 = 1.
We could remove 0 from both sides, and then divide by 2. We will then obtain:
131
3 2 1 2 = 1 20 + 2 21 + 3 22 + = 2 = 610
Finding the second digit:
Could the number 610 reveal anything about the values 1 , 2 , 3 , ?
610 is even. (610 0(2)). Therefore the sum on the left must be even. Hence 1 = 0.
We could remove 0 from both sides, and then divide by 2. We will then obtain:
60
4 3 2 2 = 2 20 + 3 21 + 4 23 + = 2 = 310 .
We keep going until we find all digits.
Decimal to Binary --
Remainder evaluation (Cont.)
We usually use a table for the remainder evaluation method.
In every step we check the remainder of the number in the left
when divided by 2. We write the remainder on the right side of the
line, and the result of division by 2 in the left side of the line.

Again we get that 1310 = 11012 .

Which method to use?
We can convert a number from any base to any base using each of
the 3 mentioned methods.
In some cases one method might be more comfortable than
another. (Given that you are a human being).
Conversion from a small base to a larger base: use Direct
evaluation.
Example: from base 2 to base 10.
Conversion from a large base to a smaller base: use Remainder
evaluation.
Example: from base 10 to base 2.
Example (Decimal to Binary)
How to represent 3014510 in base 2? 30145 1

We will use the remainder evaluation method, 15072 0

because 10 > 2. 7536 0

3768 0
We obtain: 3014510 = 1110101110000012 1884 0
942 0
471 1
235 1
117 1
58 0
29 1
14 0
7 1
3 1
1 1
Example (Binary to Decimal)
How to represent 10101112 in base 10?
We will use the direct evaluation method, because 2 < 10.

10101112 = 1 20 + 1 21 + 1 22 + 0 23 + 1 24 + 0 25 + 1 26 =

20 + 21 + 22 + 24 + 26 =

1 + 2 + 4 + 16 + 64 = 8710
Example (Decimal to Ternary(3))
How to represent 10110 in base 3? (The ternary system).
We will use the remainder evaluation method, because 10 > 3.
This time we will divide by 3, and calculate remainder modulo 3.

101 2
33 0
11 2
3 0
1 1

We obtain: 10110 = 102023

Exercises
Conversion between bases.
Some interesting questions.