Computer Fundamentals Assignment: Number
Systems
Solutions to Number Systems Assignment
1. Differentiate between positional and non-positional number systems. Write examples
of both types of number systems.
Positional number systems assign values to digits based on their position, with each
position representing a power of the base. Non-positional number systems assign fixed
values to symbols, regardless of position.
Examples:
- Positional: Decimal (base 10), Binary (base 2), Octal (base 8), Hexadecimal (base 16).
- Non-positional: Roman numerals (e.g., III = 3), Tally marks.
2. What is the base of a number system? Write examples to illustrate the role of base in
positional number systems.
The base (radix) is the number of unique digits used in a number system. Each position
represents a power of the base.
Examples:
- Decimal (base 10): 123 = 1 × 102 + 2 × 101 + 3 × 100 = 123.
- Binary (base 2): 101 = 1 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 1 × 20 = 5.
- Octal (base 8): 123 = 1 × 82 + 2 × 81 + 3 × 80 = 83.
3. What is the value of base for decimal, hexadecimal, binary, and octal number systems?
- Decimal: Base 10
- Hexadecimal: Base 16
- Binary: Base 2
- Octal: Base 8
4. Write an example for octal number system to show that the same digit may signify
different values depending on the position.
Octal number 2228 :
- Rightmost 2: 2 × 80 = 2
- Middle 2: 2 × 81 = 16
- Leftmost 2: 2 × 82 = 128
Total: 128 + 16 + 2 = 146 (decimal). The digit 2 represents 2, 16, or 128 based on
position.
5. Total number of different symbols or digits and the maximum value of a single digit
for the following number systems:
(a) Base 5: 5 symbols (0–4), max digit = 4
1
(b) Base 20: 20 symbols (0–9, A–J), max digit = 19 (J)
(c) Base 9: 9 symbols (0–8), max digit = 8
(d) Base 12: 12 symbols (0–9, A–B), max digit = 11 (B)
6. What is a ‘bit’ in computer terminology? How many different patterns of bits are
possible with (a) 6 bits (b) 7 bits (c) 8 bits
A bit (binary digit) is the smallest unit of data, representing 0 or 1. Number of patterns
= 2n .
(a) 6 bits: 26 = 64 patterns
(b) 7 bits: 27 = 128 patterns
(c) 8 bits: 28 = 256 patterns
7. Explain the meaning of the term “memory dump”.
A memory dump is a snapshot of a computer’s memory contents at a specific time, used
for debugging to analyze program state, variables, and errors.
8. Why do we use octal and/or hexadecimal number systems as shortcut notations?
Octal (3 bits per digit, base 23 ) and hexadecimal (4 bits per digit, base 24 ) group binary
digits, making binary data easier to read and debug in computing.
9. Find decimal equivalent of the following binary numbers:
(a) 11010112 = 1 × 26 + 1 × 25 + 0 × 24 + 1 × 23 + 0 × 22 + 1 × 21 + 1 × 20 = 107
(b) 110102 = 1 × 24 + 1 × 23 + 0 × 22 + 1 × 21 + 0 × 20 = 26
(c) 101100112 = 1 × 27 + 0 × 26 + 1 × 25 + 1 × 24 + 0 × 23 + 0 × 22 + 1 × 21 + 1 × 20 = 179
(d) 110111012 = 1 × 27 + 1 × 26 + 0 × 25 + 1 × 24 + 1 × 23 + 1 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 1 × 20 = 221
(e) 11101012 = 1 × 26 + 1 × 25 + 1 × 24 + 0 × 23 + 1 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 1 × 20 = 117
(f) 10002 = 1 × 23 + 0 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 0 × 20 = 8
(g) 101100011002 = 1 × 210 + 0 × 29 + 1 × 28 + 1 × 27 + 0 × 26 + 0 × 25 + 0 × 24 + 1 ×
23 + 1 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 0 × 20 = 1420
(h) 1100012 = 1 × 25 + 1 × 24 + 0 × 23 + 0 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 1 × 20 = 49
(i) 10101011002 = 1 × 29 + 0 × 28 + 1 × 27 + 0 × 26 + 1 × 25 + 0 × 24 + 1 × 23 + 1 ×
22 + 0 × 21 + 0 × 20 = 684
(j) 1112 = 1 × 22 + 1 × 21 + 1 × 20 = 7
2
10. Find octal equivalent of the binary numbers of Question 9.
Group bits in sets of 3 from right, pad with zeros if needed.
(a) 11010112 = 1 101 011 = 1538
(b) 110102 = 011 010 = 328
(c) 101100112 = 10 110 011 = 2638
(d) 110111012 = 11 011 101 = 3358
(e) 11101012 = 1 110 101 = 1658
(f) 10002 = 001 000 = 108
(g) 101100011002 = 001 011 000 110 0 = 130608
(h) 1100012 = 110 001 = 618
(i) 10101011002 = 001 010 101 100 = 12548
(j) 1112 = 111 = 78
11. Find hexadecimal equivalent of the binary numbers of Question 9.
Group bits in sets of 4 from right, pad with zeros if needed.
(a) 11010112 = 0110 1011 = 6B16
(b) 110102 = 0001 1010 = 1A16
(c) 101100112 = 1011 0011 = B316
(d) 110111012 = 1101 1101 = DD16
(e) 11101012 = 0111 0101 = 7516
(f) 10002 = 1000 = 816
(g) 101100011002 = 0101 1000 1100 = 58C16
3
(h) 1100012 = 0011 0001 = 3116
(i) 10101011002 = 0010 1010 1100 = 2AC16
(j) 1112 = 0111 = 716
12. Convert the following numbers to decimal numbers:
(a) 1101102 = 1 × 25 + 1 × 24 + 0 × 23 + 1 × 22 + 1 × 21 + 0 × 20 = 54
(b) 25736 = 2 × 63 + 5 × 62 + 7 × 61 + 3 × 60 = 657
(c) 2A3B16 = 2 × 163 + 10 × 162 + 3 × 161 + 11 × 160 = 10811
(d) 12349 = 1 × 93 + 2 × 92 + 3 × 91 + 4 × 90 = 922
13. Convert the following decimal numbers to binary numbers:
Divide by 2, read remainders bottom to top.
(a) 43510 = 1101100112
(b) 169410 = 110101001102
(c) 3210 = 1000002
(d) 13510 = 100001112
14. Convert the decimal numbers of Question 13 to octal numbers.
Divide by 8, read remainders bottom to top.
(a) 43510 = 6638
(b) 169410 = 32368
(c) 3210 = 408
(d) 13510 = 2078
15. Convert the decimal numbers of Question 13 to hexadecimal numbers.
Divide by 16, read remainders bottom to top.
4
(a) 43510 = 1B316
(b) 169410 = 69E16
(c) 3210 = 2016
(d) 13510 = 8716
16. Carry out the following conversions:
(a) 1256 = 1 × 62 + 2 × 61 + 5 × 60 = 5310 → 3114
(b) 249 = 2 × 91 + 4 × 90 = 2210 → 2113
(c) ABC16 = 10 × 162 + 11 × 161 + 12 × 160 = 274810 → 52748
17. Convert the following numbers to their binary equivalent:
(a) 2AC16 = 0010 1010 1100 = 10101011002
(b) F AB16 = 1111 1010 1011 = 1111101010112
(c) 26148 = 010 110 001 100 = 101100011002
(d) 5628 = 101 110 010 = 1011100102
18. Find decimal equivalent of the following numbers:
(a) 111.012 = 1 × 22 + 1 × 21 + 1 × 20 + 0 × 2−1 + 1 × 2−2 = 7.25
(b) 1001.0112 = 1 × 23 + 0 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 1 × 20 + 0 × 2−1 + 1 × 2−2 + 1 × 2−3 = 9.375
(c) 247.658 = 2 × 82 + 4 × 81 + 7 × 80 + 6 × 8−1 + 5 × 8−2 = 167.828125
(d) 2B.D416 = 2 × 161 + 11 × 160 + 13 × 16−1 + 4 × 16−2 = 43.828125
