I .

Binary Numbers: A Discussion

In order to understand what a binary number is we should
first understand what a decimal number is.
Decimal Numbers
(i) In our everyday life we represent numbers by using ten
digits (which are 0, 1,2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7,8,9) and therefore
thesenumbers are calleddecimal numbers (deci means
ten in Latin).
(ii) Any number can be represented using theseten digits.
(iii) Consider for example a sequenceof digits 197. Here we
have three digits 1,9 and 7 written in that order. All of us
know that when 1, 9 and 7 arewritten in that order this
sequence of digits is equal to the number: "One hun-
dred and ninety-seven". How do we arrive at this value
for the given sequence? We do it in thefollowing man-
ners:
197=l xl O2 +9x10' +7x10 =100+90 +7=197
Note: io =1. In fact, the value is always equal to 1
i f any number is raised to the power zero.
This means that to get the value of any decimal num-
ber we follow the following rules:
The 1st digit fromtheright is multiplied by io
The 2nd digit fromright is multiplied by J O 1
The 3rd digit fromright is multiplied by i o2
55 51 55 55
51 51 55 55
The nth digit fromright is multiplied by io""1
And finally, all theseare added.
Ex. 1: What is the valuei f 3, 5, 7 and 9 arewritten in this
order: 5793.
Soln: 5793=5xl 03 +7xl 02 +9x10' +3x10
= 5 x 1000 +7 x 100 +9x 10 +3 x 1=5793
(Five thousand seven hundred and ninety-three).
(iv) We get the valueof numbers in these cases by multiply-
ing every digit by power of 10. Here this10 is called the
Miscellaneous
base or the radix. Therefore, under a decimal system
our base is 10 and we use a total of ten digits to repre-
sent any number.
Binary Numbers
(i) Just as we use ten digits to represent a decimal number,
we may as well useonly two digits (which are: 0, 1) to
represent any number. Thiswill be called abinary sys-
temasbi meanstwo in Latin.
(ii) Any number can be represented using thesetwo digits:
0 and 1.
(iii) Consider, for example, a sequence of thedigits: 1010.
Here we have a sequence of digits: 1, 0, 1 and 0, in that
order. What is the value of this number? We get the
valuein thefollowing manner:
1010 =l x23 +0x22 +1x2' +0x2
=1x8+0x4+l x2+0x1
=8 +0 +2 +0=10(ten).
Therefore, 1010in the binary systemrepresents the num-
ber: ten. (Which is represented as 10 in our usual decimal
system.).
This means that to get the value of any binary number
wefollow thefollowing rules:
The1 st digit fromright is multiplied by 2 (=1).
The 2nd digit fromright is multiplied by 2' (=2).
The 3rd digit fromright is multiplied by 22 (=4).
u M << U
The nth digit fromright is multiplied by 2n _ 1
Finally, all theseare added.
Ex. 2: What is the value if 1, 0, 1, 1 are written in this
sequence: 1101?
Soln: 1101=i x 23 +l x22 +0x21 +l x20
=8+4 +0+1 =13. (Thirteen).
Thus the binary number 1101 represents thirteen. Which
is represented as 13 in the decimal system.
(iv) Obviously, here the base or radix is 2.
Conclusion: Thus we see that binary systemis a system
of representing numbers just as decimal systemis a system
of representing numbers. The difference is that in caseof
742 P R A C T I C E B OOK ON Q U I C KE R MATHS
decimal systemwe represent numbers by ten digits (0,1,2,3,
4,5,6,7, 8 and 9) and the valueof the number is obtained by
multiplying different digits of the sequence by powers of 10
and adding; while in caseof binary systemwe represent
numbers by two digits (0 and 1) and the valueof the number
is obtained by multiplying different digits of the sequence
by powers of 2 and adding.
Converting binary numbers to decimal numbers
We have already seenhow to do it. A binary number is
converted to a decimal number by
(1) multiplying the nth digit fromright by 2"', where n =1,
2,...
(2) adding all these.
Ex. 3: Convert thefollowing binary numbers into decimal numbers:
(a) 1010 (b) 1111 (c)100 (d) 10000 (e) 1110010
Soln: (a) 1010=l x23 +0x22 +1x2' +0x2
=8 +0 +2 +0=10(Ten)
(b) l l l l =l x 2 3 + l x 22 +l x 2I +1x2
=8+4 +2+1 =15 (Fifteen)
(c) 100=l x22 +0x2' +0x2=4 +0 +0 =4(Four)
(d) 10000=l x24 +0x23 +0x22 +0x2' +0x2
=16 +0 +0 +0 +0=16(Sixteen)
(e) 1110010 =l x26 +l x25 +l x24 +0x23 +
0x22 +1x2' +0x2
=64+32+16 +0+0+2 +0
=114 (Hundred Fourteen)
Table 1: List of powers of 2
Power Value
2 1
2' 2 =2
22 4 =2x2
23 8 = 2x 2x 2
24 16 =2x 2x 2x 2
Power Value
25 32 =2 x2 x2 x2 x 2
26 64 =2 x2 x2 x2 x 2x 2
27 128 =2 x 2... 7 times
2s 256 =2 x 2... 8 times
29
512 =2 x 2... 9 times
For a quicker conversion of binary numbers to
decimal numbers we must remember the above-mentioned
table by heart. Thus, we can save time by directly writing the
value to be multiplied (for example instead of writing 1 x 23 we
candirectly write 1x 8). Now, since anything multiplied by 1
gives the samenumber and since anything multiplied by 0
gives zero, we can further save time by writing (i) only the
valueof the power of 2 wherever it has to be multiplied by 1,
and (ii) zero, wherever it has to be multiplied by zero. Thus, in
Ex 2, to convert 1010 we may directly write as 1 * 23 +1 * 2' or
8 +2 (because other termswill be multiplied by 0 and give 0 in
any case). Thus we can develop thefollowing quicker method
for conversionof binary into decimal numbers:
Quicker method for converting binary num-
bers to decimal
Step I : Starting fromthe rightmost digit of the given binary
number, write 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32... and so on below
each digit as you proceed towards the left.
Step I I : Ignore the numbers below the 0s (zeroes). Add all
the remaining numbers below the Is.
Ex. 4: Solve Ex. 3 by quicker method.
Soln: (a) 1010
Step I : Starting fromright we write 1,2,4 and 8 below the
digits. We get
1 0 1 0
8 4 2 1
StepI I : 4 and 1 fall below the zeros. We ignore themand
add the remaining. We get 8 +2 =10 (Ten).
O) 1111
StepI : Starting fromright, we write 1,2,4, and 8 below the
digits. We get
1 1 1 1
8 4 2
1
Step I I : All numbers fall below Is. So we add all of themto
get8 +4 +2+1 =15 (fifteen)
(c) 100.
Step I : Starting fromright, we write 1, 2 and 4 below the
digits. We get:
1 0 0
4 2 1
StepI I : 1 and 2 fall below the zeros, we ignore them. This
leaves 4 (four),
(d) 10000.
StepI : Starting fromright, we write 1,2,4,8, and 16 below
the digits. We get
1 0 0 0 0
16 8 4 2 1
Step I I : 1, 2, 4, 8 fall below the zeros. Ignore them. That
leaves 16. (Sixteen)