NUMBER BASE 1 - DEFINITION, TYPES AND CONVERSION (JS2 NOTES)

 NUMBER BASE 1

Number Base System

Binary, Decimal,Octal, Hexadecimal and Conversion of Number Base System

Introduction

Representation of data in the computer makes use of the number base system. When data and instruction is entered into the computer, the computer will convert it into machine readable language i.e binary digits 0’s and 1’s. The main number system used in digital hardware are:

(i)                Binary number system (base 2) 

(ii)              Decimal/Denary number system (base 10) 

(iii)            Octal number system (base 8) 

(iv)            Hexadecimal number system (base 16)

(i)                Binary number system (base 2) : This is base 2 number and therefore requires only digits (0’s and 1’s or off and on)- For example 100112, 1001112

(ii)              Decimal/Denary number system (base 10) : This uses various symbols called digits for ten distinct values (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) to represent numbers. For example 29, 54, 140, 275, e.t.c

(iii)            Octal number system (base 8) :This is a base 8 number system and it uses the digits 0 to 7 i.e (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7) for example 74, 65, 45 e.t.c

(iv)            Hexadecimal number system (base 16): This is usually written using symbols 0-9 i.e 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and alphabets A-F i.e A=10, B=11, C=12, D=13, E=14, and F=15.