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Binary Numbers Representation

The document explains the representation of binary numbers, categorizing them into unsigned and signed numbers. Unsigned numbers represent only magnitude and are always positive, while signed numbers include both sign and magnitude, with the most significant bit indicating the sign. It details the representations of signed binary numbers, including sign-magnitude, 1's complement, and 2's complement forms, with examples for both positive and negative numbers.

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4 views

Binary Numbers Representation

The document explains the representation of binary numbers, categorizing them into unsigned and signed numbers. Unsigned numbers represent only magnitude and are always positive, while signed numbers include both sign and magnitude, with the most significant bit indicating the sign. It details the representations of signed binary numbers, including sign-magnitude, 1's complement, and 2's complement forms, with examples for both positive and negative numbers.

Uploaded by

fzmalghani416
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Binary Numbers Representation


We can categorize binary numbers into two groups Unsigned numbers and Signed numbers. Read
this chapter to learn how signed and unsigned binary numbers are represented. We will also explain
how you can find out the 1's and 2's complement form of signed binary numbers.

Unsigned Numbers
Unsigned numbers contain only magnitude of the number. They don’t have any sign. That means all
unsigned binary numbers are positive. As in decimal number system, the placing of positive sign in
front of the number is optional for representing positive numbers. Therefore, all positive numbers
including zero can be treated as unsigned numbers if positive sign is not assigned in front of the
number.

Signed Numbers
Signed numbers contain both sign and magnitude of the number. Generally, the sign is placed in front
of number. So, we have to consider the positive sign for positive numbers and negative sign for
negative numbers. Therefore, all numbers can be treated as signed numbers if the corresponding sign
is assigned in front of the number.

If sign bit is zero, which indicates the binary number is positive. Similarly, if sign bit is one, which
indicates the binary number is negative.

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Representation of Un-Signed Binary Numbers


The bits present in the un-signed binary number holds the magnitude of a number. That means, if the
un-signed binary number contains ‘N’ bits, then all N bits represent the magnitude of the number,
since it doesn’t have any sign bit.

Example

Consider the decimal number 108. The binary equivalent of this number is 1101100. This is the
representation of unsigned binary number.

(108)10 = (1101100)2

It is having 7 bits. These 7 bits represent the magnitude of the number 108.

Representation of Signed Binary Numbers


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The Most Significant Bit (MSB) of signed binary numbers is used to indicate the sign of the numbers.
Hence, it is also called as sign bit. The positive sign is represented by placing ‘0’ in the sign bit.
Similarly, the negative sign is represented by placing ‘1’ in the sign bit.

If the signed binary number contains ‘N’ bits, then (N-1) bits only represent the magnitude of the
number since one bit (MSB) is reserved for representing sign of the number.

There are three types of representations for signed binary numbers

Sign-Magnitude form

1’s complement form


2’s complement form

Representation of a positive number in all these 3 forms is same. But, only the representation of
negative number will differ in each form.

Consider the positive decimal number +108. The binary equivalent of magnitude of this number is
1101100. These 7 bits represent the magnitude of the number 108. Since it is positive number,
consider the sign bit as zero, which is placed on left most side of magnitude.

(+108)10 = (01101100)2

Therefore, the signed binary representation of positive decimal number +108 is 𝟎𝟏𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟏𝟎𝟎. So, the
same representation is valid in sign-magnitude form, 1’s complement form and 2’s complement form
for positive decimal number +108.

Sign-Magnitude form

In sign-magnitude form, the MSB is used for representing sign of the number and the remaining bits
represent the magnitude of the number. So, just include sign bit at the left most side of unsigned
binary number. This representation is similar to the signed decimal numbers representation.

Example

Consider the negative decimal number -108. The magnitude of this number is 108. We know the
unsigned binary representation of 108 is 1101100. It is having 7 bits. All these bits represent the
magnitude.

Since the given number is negative, consider the sign bit as one, which is placed on left most side of
magnitude.

(−108)10 = (11101100)2

Therefore, the sign-magnitude representation of -108 is 11101100.


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1’s complement form

The 1’s complement of a number is obtained by complementing all the bits of signed binary number.
So, 1’s complement of positive number gives a negative number. Similarly, 1’s complement of negative
number gives a positive number.

That means, if you perform two times 1’s complement of a binary number including sign bit, then you
will get the original signed binary number.

Example

Consider the negative decimal number -108. The magnitude of this number is 108. We know the
signed binary representation of 108 is 01101100.

It is having 8 bits. The MSB of this number is zero, which indicates positive number. Complement of
zero is one and vice-versa. So, replace zeros by ones and ones by zeros in order to get the negative
number.

(−108)10 = (10010011)2

Therefore, the 1’s complement of (108)10 is (10010011)2.

2’s complement form

The 2’s complement of a binary number is obtained by adding one to the 1’s complement of signed
binary number. So, 2’s complement of positive number gives a negative number. Similarly, 2’s
complement of negative number gives a positive number.

That means, if you perform two times 2’s complement of a binary number including sign bit, then you
will get the original signed binary number.

Example

Consider the negative decimal number -108.

We know the 1’s complement of (108)10 is (10010011)2

2’s compliment of (108)10 = 1’s compliment of (108)10 + 1.

= 10010011 + 1

= 10010100

Therefore, the 2’s complement of (108)10 is (10010100)2.

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