Binary Integers
Course Content Specification
Describe and exemplify the use of binary to represent positive integers.
Storing Numeric Data
We use the decimal (denary) or base 10 system. This means we have 10 digits : 0-9. Computers use the binary or base 2 system. There are only two digits: 0 and 1
Each figure is known as a bit, this stands for Binary digit.
Let’s look at how a decimal number is made up:
Example denary number (173).
Technically this is
The same denary number (173) shown with with place values shown at the top.
Let’s look at how the same number is stored in binary: 1010 1101 = 173
Division Method of Converting
You still start off with your decimal number 173
Divide it by 2 and if there is no remainder then your binary digit is 0, if there is a remainder your binary digit is 1.
You then carry on dividing until your number is 0
The tutorial video to the right will cover the basic method of converting an integer in denary to binary.
Let’s look at the same example:
Binary Number = 1010 0101
Converting from Binary to Decimal
Let’s look at converting the binary number 0110 0110 into decimal.
1 Create your table with the values in the top
2. Insert your binary value into the table.
3. Add the place values that have a binary 1 in them: 64+32+4+2 = 102