Computer System Low Level Techniques Page 1 of 7

Tutorial Data Representation

SECTION A
Multiple Choice Questions

1. The number system of choice, both for data storage and for all internal processing of
operations is _______
a) binary
b) decimal
c) octal
d) hexadecimal

2. Original data into the computer can include_______.

a) character
b) sound
c) image
d) a, b and c

3. Normal keyboard input is _______.

a) binary
b) ASCII
c) EBCDIC
d) Unicode

4. Alphanumeric data includes ______.

a) characters
b) number digits
c) punctuation
d) a, b and c

5. The code form that can represent the most characters is_______.
a) ASCII
b) EBCDIC
c) Unicode
d) IBM

6. The code that is multilingual in the most global sense is _______.

a) ASCII
b) EBCDIC
c) Unicode
d) IBM

7. When a key is struck on the keyboard, the circuitry in the keyboard generates a binary
code called a _______.
a) scan code
b) ASCII code
c) EBCDIC code
d) Unicode

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8. Bit map images are made up of _______.

a) vectors
b) pixels
c) ASCII
d) EBCDIC

9. The alphanumeric code system that allows the largest number of values is called
_______.
a) EBCDIC
b) Unicode
c) ASCII
d) ANSI

10. Bar codes represent _______.

a) Alphanumeric data
b) Only numeric data
c) ASCII
d) EBCDIC

11. Numbers with a decimal portion are called _______.

a) Boolean
b) Enumerated data type
c) Integer
d) Real

12. Positive or negative whole numbers are called _______.

a) Boolean
b) Character
c) Enumerated data type
d) Integer

13. Two-valued variables or constants with values of true or false are called _______.
a) Boolean
b) Character
c) Enumerated data type
d) Integer

SECTION B
Exercises

14. How many bits of memory are contained in a memory unit with memory capacity of:
i) 2MB
ii) 512KB
iii) 256GB

i) 2 = 21, M = 220, B = byte = 8 = 23

21 x 220 x 23 = 224 = 16,777,216

ii) 512 = 29, K = 210, B = byte = 8 = 23

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Computer System Low Level Techniques Page 3 of 7

29 x 210 x 23 = 222 = 4,194,304

iii) 256 = 28, G = 230, B = byte = 8 = 23

28 x 230 x 23 = 241 = 2,199,023,255,552

15. What is the difference between

i) computer hardware and computer software
ii) data and information

i) Computer hardware processes data by executing instructions, storing

data and transferring data and information between the various
peripherals.
Computer software consists of the system and application programs that
define the instructions that are executed by the hardware.

ii) Data is the fundamental representation of facts.

Information is data which has been processed.

16. Conversion from Binary to Decimal.

Covert the following unsigned binary numbers into decimal.
a) 110100
b) 01011011
c) 10010110
d) 111111
e) 1111110

a) 5210
b) 9110
c) 15010
d) 6310
e) 12610

17. Conversion from Decimal to Binary

Convert the following decimal numbers into binary. How many bits are needed in
each case?
a) 14
b) 127
c) 249
d) 73
e) 257

a) 11102
b) 111 11112
c) 1111 10012
d) 100 10012
e) 1 0000 00012

18. Addition in Binary

Work out the following sums in unsigned binary. In each case, check your answer by
converting the numbers and the result into decimal.

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a) 11011 + 1101
b) 11010101 + 00111110
c) 1111 + 1
d) 111111 + 1
e) 10101010 + 01010101

a) 10 10002
b) 1 0001 00112
c) 10 0002
d) 1000 0002
e) 1111 1112

19. Convert the following 2s complement binary numbers to decimal.

a) 10000000
b) 11111100
c) 10101010
d) 00001101
e) 11010111

a) -128
b) -4
c) -86
d) 13
e) -41

20. What extra step do we take when we form the 2's complement of a negative binary
number?
Answer
The extra step we take is adding 1 to our complemented number. A good way to
remember this is to compare the names of the representation schemes. 2's complement
exceeds 1's complement by 1, so we always add 1 to our complemented numbers
when using 2's complement.

21. Write the 2's complement for each of the following 5-bit binary numbers.
a) 010012
b) 010112
c) 001112
d) 000012

Answer
The 2's complement for each number is given below.
a) 101112
b) 101012
c) 110012
d) 111112

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22. In 2's complement, what do all the positive numbers have in common?

In 2's complement, all the positive numbers begin with a 0.

23. If you want to write the number 710 using 2's complement representation, what do you
need to do?

To write the number 710 using 2's complement representation you need only to
convert 710 to binary.

24. If you want to write the number -710 using 2's complement representation, what do you
need to do?

To write the number -710 using 2's complement representation you need to
convert 710 to binary, complement this number, and then add 1. Remember that
2's complement exceeds 1's complement by 1.

25. What is the general technique for converting a decimal number to 2's
complement representation?

The general technique for converting a decimal number to 2's complement

representation is given below.

a) If the number is positive, simply convert it to binary.

b) If the number is negative, write the positive value of the number in binary
c) Reverse each bit.
d) Add 1 to the complemented number.

26. Convert the following decimal numbers to binary using 6-bit 2's complement
representation.
a) -1610
b) 1310
c) -310
d) -1010
e) 2610
f) -3110

The 2's complement representation for each number is given below.

a) 1100002
b) 0011012
c) 1111012
d) 1101102
e) 0110102
f) 1000012

27. Work out the 2s complement binary representation of the following decimal numbers,
using 8 bits.
a) 9710
b) -12710
c) -2910

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d) -7610
e) -210

a) 0110 00012
b) 1000 00012
c) 1110 00112
d) 1011 01002
e) 1111 11102

28. Subtraction
Work out the following subtractions in 2s complement binary (do this by negating the
second number and then adding). Use an 8-bit representation. In each case, check
your answer by converting the numbers and the result into decimal.
a) 00011011 00001101
b) 11010101 00111110
c) 00001111 00000001
d) 00111111 00000001
e) 10101010 01010101

a) 0000 11102
b) 1001 01112
c) 0000 11102
d) 0011 11102
e) 0101 01012

29. Hexadecimal
Convert the following hexadecimal numbers into binary and decimal.
a) 3A
b) FF
c) A5
d) 32
e) BD

a) 11 10102, 58
b) 1111 11112, 255
c) 1010 01012, 165
d) 11 00102, 50
e) 1011 11012, 189

30. Convert the following decimal numbers into hexadecimal (an easy way to do this is to
convert into binary firs).
a) 254
b) 256
c) 64
d) 181
e) 99

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a) FE
b) 100
c) 40
d) B5
e) 63

31. Text Representation

The ASCII character set represents each character by a 7 bit binary numbers, which
can also be converted into a 2 digit hexadecimal numbers. The ASCII codes for the
capital letters A-Z are 65-90. (in decimal). Work out the ASCII representation
SIMON in decimal, hexadecimal and binary.

Decimal Hexadecimal Binary

SIMON 83 53 01010011
73 49 01001001
77 4D 01001101
79 4F 01001111
78 4E 01001110

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