1.

1 Number systems

This chapter considers the three key number systems used in computer
science, namely binary, denary and hexadecimal. It also discusses
how these number systems are used to measure the size of computer
memories and storage devices, together with how sound and images can
be represented digitally.

This chapter considers the three key number systems used in computer
science, namely binary, denary and hexadecimal. It also discusses

how these number systems are used to measure the size of computer
memories and storage devices, together with how sound and images can
be represented digitally.

1.1 Number systems

1.1.1 Binary represents data
As you progress through this book you will begin to realise how complex
computer systems really are. By the time you reach Chapter 10 you should have a
better understanding of the fundamentals behind computers themselves and the
software that controls them.
You will learn that any form of data needs to be converted into a binary format
so that it can be processed by the computer.
However, no matter how complex the system, the basic building block in all
computers is the binary number system. This system is chosen because it only
consists of 1s and 0s. Since computers contain millions and millions of tiny
‘switches’, which must be in the ON or OFF position, they can be represented by
the binary system. A switch in the ON position is represented by 1; a switch in
the OFF position is represented by 0.

Switches used in a computer make use of logic gates (see Chapter 10) and are
used to store and process data.

1.1.2 Binary, denary and hexadecimal systems

The binary system
We are all familiar with the denary number system which counts in multiples of 10.
This gives us the well-known headings of units, 10s, 100s, 1000s, and so on:
(104) (103) (102) (101) (100)
10 000 1000 100 10 1

2 5 1 7 7

Denary uses ten separate digits, 0-9, to represent all values. Denary is known as
a base 10 number system.
The binary number system is a base 2 number system. It is based on the number 2.
Thus, only the two ‘values’ 0 and 1 can be used in this system to represent all
values. Using the same method as denary, this gives the headings 20, 21, 22, 23,
and so on. The typical headings for a binary number with eight digits would be:
1.1 Number systems
(2 )
7
(2 )
6
(2 )5
(2 )4
(2 )3
(2 )2
(21) (20)
128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1

1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0

A typical binary number would be: 11101110.

Converting from binary to denary
The conversion from binary to denary is a relatively straightforward process.
Each time a 1-value appears in a binary number column, the column value
(heading) is added to a total. This is best shown by three examples which use 8-
bit, 12-bit and 16-bit binary numbers:

Convert the binary number, 11101110, into a denary number.

128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0

The equivalent denary number is 128 + 64 + 32 + 8 + 4 + 2 = 238

Convert the following binary number, 011110001011, into a denary number.

2048 1024 512 256 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1

The equivalent denary number is 1024 + 512 + 256 + 128 + 8 + 2 + 1 = 1931

1.1 Number systems

Convert the following binary number, 0011000111100110, into a denary number.

32768 16384 8192 4096 2048 1024 512 256 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1

0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0

As with the two examples above, to convert this number to denary, each time a 1
appears in a column the column value is added to the total:

8192 + 4096 + 256 + 128 + 64 + 32 + 4 + 2 = 12 774

 The same
method
can be
used for a
binary
number of
any size.

Convert
the
followin
g binary
number
s into
denary:

a00110011k000111100111 b01111111l0101010101
00c10011001m111100001111d01110100n0111110
01000e11111111o011111111111 f00001111p01111
10011110000
g10001111q0011111100001101 h10110011r11000
01100111111i01110000s1000100010001000 j1110
1110t0111111111111111

Converting from denary to binary

The conversion from denary numbers to binary numbers can be done in two
different ways. The first method involves successive subtraction of powers of 2
(that is, 128, 64, 32, 16, and so on); whilst the second method involves
successive division by 2 until the value “0” is reached. This is best shown by
two examples:

Consider the conversion of the denary number, 142, into binary:

Method 1

The denary number 142 is made up of 128 + 8 + 4 + 2 (that is, 142 – 128 = 14; 14 – 8 = 6;
6 – 4 = 2; 2 – 2 = 0; in each stage, subtract the largest possible power of 2 and keep
doing this until the value 0 is reached. This will give us the following 8-bit binary
number:
128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0

4
1.1 Number systems

Method 2

This method involves successive division by 2. Start with the denary number, 142, and
 divide it by 2. Write the result of the division including the remainder (even if it is 0)
under the 142 (that is, 142 ÷ 2 = 71 remainder 0); then divide again by 2 (that is,
71 ÷ 2 = 35 remainder 1) and keep dividing until the result is zero. Finally write down
all the remainders in reverse order:
2 142 read the remainders from bottom to
top to get the binary number:
2 71 remainder: 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0

2 35 remainder: 1

2 17 remainder: 1

2 8 remainder: 1

2 4 remainder: 0

2 2 remainder: 0

2 1 remainder: 0

0 remainder: 1

▲ Figure 1.1

We end up with an 8-bit binary number which is the same as that found by Method 1.

Consider the conversion of the denary number, 59, into binary:

Method 1

The denary number 59 is made up of 32 + 16 + 8 + 2 + 1 (that is, 59 – 32 = 27; 27 – 16 = 11;

11 – 8 = 3; 3 – 2 = 1; 1 – 1 = 0; in each stage, subtract the largest possible power of

2 and keep doing this until the value 0 is reached. This will give us the following 8-bit
binary number:
128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1

Method 2
This method involves successive division by 2. Start with the denary number, 59, and
divide it by 2. Write the result of the division including the remainder (even if it is 0)
under the 59 (that is, 59 ÷ 2 = 29 remainder 1); then divide again by 2 (that is,29 ÷ 2
=
14 remainder 1) and keep dividing until the result is zero. Finally write downall the
remainders in reverse order:
 5
1.1 Number systems
2 59 write the remainders from bottom to
top to get the binary number:
2 29 remainder: 1 1 1 1 0 1 1

2 14 remainder: 1

2 7 remainder: 0

2 3 remainder: 1

2 1 remainder: 1

0 remainder: 1

▲ Figure 1.1b

If we want to show this as an 8-bit binary number (as shown in Method 1), we now
simply add two 0’s from the left-hand side to give the result: 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1. The two
results from both methods clearly agree.
Both the above examples use 8-bit binary numbers. This third example shows how the
method can still be used for any size of binary number; in this case a 16-bit binary
number.

Consider the conversion of the denary number, 35 000, into a 16-bit binary number:

Method 1

The denary number 35 000 is made up of 32 768 + 2048 + 128 + 32 + 16 + 8 (that

is, 35 000 – 32 768 = 2232; 2232 – 2048 = 184; 184 – 128 = 56; 56 – 32 = 24; 24 – 16
= 8;

8 – 8 = 0; in each stage, subtract the largest possible power of 2 and keep doing this
until the value 0 is reached. This will give us the following 16-bit binary number:

32768 16384 8192 4096 2048 1024 512 256 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1

1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0

Method 2
This method involves successive division by 2. Start with the denary number, 35000, and
divide it by 2. Write the result of the division including the remainder (even if it is 0)
under the 35000 (that is, 35000 ÷ 2 = 17 500 remainder 0); then divide again by 2 (that
is, 17500 ÷ 2 = 8750 remainder 0) and keep dividing until the result is zero. Finally write
down all the remainders in reverse order:
 6
1.1 Number systems
2 35 read the remainder from bottom to
000 top to get the binary number:
1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1
2 17500 remainder: 0
0 0 0
2 8750 remainder: 0

2 4375 remainder: 0

2 2187 remainder: 1

2 1093 remainder: 1

2 546 remainder: 1

2 273 remainder: 0

2 136 remainder: 1

2 68 remainder 0

2 34 remainder 0

2 17 remainder 0

2 8 remainder 1

2 4 remainder 0

2 2 remainder 0

2 1 remainder 0

0 remainder 1

▲ Figure 1.1c

Activity 1.2
Convert the following denary numbers into binary (using both methods): a 4 1 d 1
00g144j255m4095b67e111h189k33000n16400c86f1
27i200l888o62307
 7
1.1 Number systems 8