Difference between Signed magnitude and 2’s complement

While learning Binary Number Representation in Computing, you are going to face two terms. These are the Signed Magnitude and 2’s Complement. Both of these are required to represent the positive and negative Binary Numbers, but still, there are many differences. In this article, we are going to discuss the difference between Signed magnitude and 2’s complement.

What is the Signed Magnitude?

In the Signed Magnitude method number is divided into two parts: Sign bit and Magnitude. The sign bit is 1 for a negative number and 0 for a positive number. The magnitude of the number is represented in the Binary Form of the Number. Let’s make it clear with the following image. Here, we have taken the 8-bit register.

Advantages of Signed Magnitude

• Signed Magnitude is known for its Simplicity of Representation.
• Signed Magnitude directly separates the Sign from the Magnitude.
• With Signed Magnitude, the positive and negative versions can easily be represented.

Disadvantages of Signed Magnitude

• Signed Magnitude has two representations of Zeros which causes issues.
• Addition and Subtraction of Signed Magnitude are way more difficult.
• Signed Magnitude is a bit less efficient in the hardware.

What is the 2’s Complement?

In 2’s Complement method, positive numbers are represented in the same way as they are represented in the sign-magnitude method. But if the number is negative, first represent the number with a positive sign and then take 2’s complement of that number. Let’s make it clear with the following image. Here, we have taken the 8-bit register.

Advantages of 2’s Complement

• 2’s Complement can easily perform Arithmetic operations.
• You can easily find the negative of any number with 2’s Complement.
• For Binary Computation, the 2’s Complement is highly used.

Disadvantages of 2’s Complement

• The binary representation of positive numbers is not clear in 2’s Complement.
• Addition and Subtraction of any large number are difficult with 2’s Complement.
• In 2’s Complement, you will find a larger range of negative values than the positive ones.

Difference between Signed Magnitude and 2’s Complement

Conclusion

In conclusion, Signed Magnitude refers to a method where the most significant bit represents the sign whereas for 2’s Complement is a method that simplifies arithmetic operations. Both Signed Magnitude and 2’s Complement are different, but with the help of these two, you can work on Binary Systems and Arithmetic Operations in Computing.