Integer to One's Complement Binary: Number -2 147 483 767 Converted and Written as a Signed Binary in One's Complement Representation

Integer number -2 147 483 767(10) written as a signed binary in one's complement representation

How to convert the base ten signed integer number -2 147 483 767 to a signed binary in one's complement representation:

  • A signed integer, written in base ten, or a decimal system number, is a number written using the digits 0 through 9 and the sign, which can be positive (+) or negative (-). If positive, the sign is usually not written. A number written in base two, or binary, is a number written using only the digits 0 and 1.
  • To convert a base ten signed number (written as an integer in decimal system) to signed binary in one's complement representation, follow the steps below.

  • Divide the positive version of the number repeatedly by 2, keeping track of each remainder of the operations, until you get a quotient equal to 0.
  • Construct the base 2 representation using the remainders obtained, starting with the last remainder and ending with the first, in that order.
  • Construct the positive computer representation in signed binary in such a way that the first bit is 0.
  • Only if the original number is negative, reverse all the bits from 0 to 1 and from 1 to 0.
  • Below you can see the conversion process to a signed binary in one's complement representation and the related calculations.

1. Start with the positive version of the number:

|-2 147 483 767| = 2 147 483 767

2. Divide the number repeatedly by 2:

Keep track of each remainder.

Stop when you get a quotient that is equal to zero.


  • division = quotient + remainder;
  • 2 147 483 767 ÷ 2 = 1 073 741 883 + 1;
  • 1 073 741 883 ÷ 2 = 536 870 941 + 1;
  • 536 870 941 ÷ 2 = 268 435 470 + 1;
  • 268 435 470 ÷ 2 = 134 217 735 + 0;
  • 134 217 735 ÷ 2 = 67 108 867 + 1;
  • 67 108 867 ÷ 2 = 33 554 433 + 1;
  • 33 554 433 ÷ 2 = 16 777 216 + 1;
  • 16 777 216 ÷ 2 = 8 388 608 + 0;
  • 8 388 608 ÷ 2 = 4 194 304 + 0;
  • 4 194 304 ÷ 2 = 2 097 152 + 0;
  • 2 097 152 ÷ 2 = 1 048 576 + 0;
  • 1 048 576 ÷ 2 = 524 288 + 0;
  • 524 288 ÷ 2 = 262 144 + 0;
  • 262 144 ÷ 2 = 131 072 + 0;
  • 131 072 ÷ 2 = 65 536 + 0;
  • 65 536 ÷ 2 = 32 768 + 0;
  • 32 768 ÷ 2 = 16 384 + 0;
  • 16 384 ÷ 2 = 8 192 + 0;
  • 8 192 ÷ 2 = 4 096 + 0;
  • 4 096 ÷ 2 = 2 048 + 0;
  • 2 048 ÷ 2 = 1 024 + 0;
  • 1 024 ÷ 2 = 512 + 0;
  • 512 ÷ 2 = 256 + 0;
  • 256 ÷ 2 = 128 + 0;
  • 128 ÷ 2 = 64 + 0;
  • 64 ÷ 2 = 32 + 0;
  • 32 ÷ 2 = 16 + 0;
  • 16 ÷ 2 = 8 + 0;
  • 8 ÷ 2 = 4 + 0;
  • 4 ÷ 2 = 2 + 0;
  • 2 ÷ 2 = 1 + 0;
  • 1 ÷ 2 = 0 + 1;

3. Construct the base 2 representation of the positive number:

Take all the remainders starting from the bottom of the list constructed above.

2 147 483 767(10) = 1000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0111 0111(2)

4. Determine the signed binary number bit length:

  • The base 2 number's actual length, in bits: 32.

  • A signed binary's bit length must be equal to a power of 2, as of:
  • 21 = 2; 22 = 4; 23 = 8; 24 = 16; 25 = 32; 26 = 64; ...
  • The first bit (the leftmost) indicates the sign:
  • 0 = positive integer number, 1 = negative integer number

The least number that is:


1) a power of 2

2) and is larger than the actual length, 32,

3) so that the first bit (leftmost) could be zero
(we deal with a positive number at this moment)


=== is: 64.


5. Get the positive binary computer representation on 64 bits (8 Bytes):

If needed, add extra 0s in front (to the left) of the base 2 number, up to the required length, 64.


2 147 483 767(10) = 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 1000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0111 0111

6. Get the negative integer number representation:

  • To write the negative integer number on 64 bits (8 Bytes), as a signed binary in one's complement representation,
  • ... Reverse all the bits from 0 to 1 and from 1 to 0 (flip the digits).


-2 147 483 767(10) = !(0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 1000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0111 0111)


Number -2 147 483 767(10), a signed integer number (with sign), converted from decimal system (from base 10) and written as a signed binary in one's complement representation:

-2 147 483 767(10) = 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 0111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1000 1000

Spaces were used to group digits: for binary, by 4, for decimal, by 3.

How to convert signed integers from the decimal system to signed binary in one's complement representation

Follow the steps below to convert a signed base 10 integer number to signed binary in one's complement representation:

  • 1. If the number to be converted is negative, start with the positive version of the number.
  • 2. Divide repeatedly by 2 the positive representation of the integer number that is to be converted to binary, keeping track of each remainder, until we get a quotient that is equal to ZERO.
  • 3. Construct the base 2 representation of the positive number, by taking all the remainders starting from the bottom of the list constructed above. Thus, the last remainder of the divisions becomes the first symbol (the leftmost) of the base two number, while the first remainder becomes the last symbol (the rightmost).
  • 4. Binary numbers represented in computer language must have 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, ... bit length (a power of 2) - if needed, fill in '0' bits in front (to the left) of the base 2 number calculated above, up to the right length; this way the first bit (leftmost) will always be '0', correctly representing a positive number.
  • 5. To get the negative integer number representation in signed binary one's complement, replace all '0' bits with '1's and all '1' bits with '0's.

Example: convert the negative number -49 from the decimal system (base ten) to signed binary one's complement:

  • 1. Start with the positive version of the number: |-49| = 49
  • 2. Divide repeatedly 49 by 2, keeping track of each remainder:
    • division = quotient + remainder
    • 49 ÷ 2 = 24 + 1
    • 24 ÷ 2 = 12 + 0
    • 12 ÷ 2 = 6 + 0
    • 6 ÷ 2 = 3 + 0
    • 3 ÷ 2 = 1 + 1
    • 1 ÷ 2 = 0 + 1
  • 3. Construct the base 2 representation of the positive number, by taking all the remainders starting from the bottom of the list constructed above:
    49(10) = 11 0001(2)
  • 4. The actual bit length of base 2 representation is 6, so the positive binary computer representation of a signed binary will take in this case 8 bits (the least power of 2 that is larger than 6) - add '0's in front of the base 2 number, up to the required length:
    49(10) = 0011 0001(2)
  • 5. To get the negative integer number representation in signed binary one's complement, replace all '0' bits with '1's and all '1' bits with '0's:
    -49(10) = 1100 1110
  • Number -49(10), signed integer, converted from the decimal system (base 10) to signed binary in one's complement representation = 1100 1110