1. Is this a positive or a negative number?
0100 1011 1001 0100 is the binary representation of a positive integer, on 16 bits (2 Bytes).
In a signed binary, the first bit (the leftmost) is reserved for the sign,
1 = negative, 0 = positive. This bit does not count when calculating the absolute value.
2. Construct the unsigned binary number.
Exclude the first bit (the leftmost), that is reserved for the sign:
0100 1011 1001 0100 = 100 1011 1001 0100
3. Map the unsigned binary number's digits versus the corresponding powers of 2 that their place value represent:
214
1 213
0 212
0 211
1 210
0 29
1 28
1 27
1 26
0 25
0 24
1 23
0 22
1 21
0 20
0
4. Multiply each bit by its corresponding power of 2 and add all the terms up.
100 1011 1001 0100(2) =
(1 × 214 + 0 × 213 + 0 × 212 + 1 × 211 + 0 × 210 + 1 × 29 + 1 × 28 + 1 × 27 + 0 × 26 + 0 × 25 + 1 × 24 + 0 × 23 + 1 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 0 × 20)(10) =
(16 384 + 0 + 0 + 2 048 + 0 + 512 + 256 + 128 + 0 + 0 + 16 + 0 + 4 + 0 + 0)(10) =
(16 384 + 2 048 + 512 + 256 + 128 + 16 + 4)(10) =
19 348(10)
5. If needed, adjust the sign of the integer number by the first digit (leftmost) of the signed binary:
0100 1011 1001 0100(2) = 19 348(10)
The number 0100 1011 1001 0100(2) converted from a signed binary (base two) and written as an integer in decimal system (base ten):
0100 1011 1001 0100(2) = 19 348(10)
Spaces were used to group digits: for binary, by 4, for decimal, by 3.