1. Start with the positive version of the number:
|-621 216| = 621 216
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;
- 621 216 ÷ 2 = 310 608 + 0;
- 310 608 ÷ 2 = 155 304 + 0;
- 155 304 ÷ 2 = 77 652 + 0;
- 77 652 ÷ 2 = 38 826 + 0;
- 38 826 ÷ 2 = 19 413 + 0;
- 19 413 ÷ 2 = 9 706 + 1;
- 9 706 ÷ 2 = 4 853 + 0;
- 4 853 ÷ 2 = 2 426 + 1;
- 2 426 ÷ 2 = 1 213 + 0;
- 1 213 ÷ 2 = 606 + 1;
- 606 ÷ 2 = 303 + 0;
- 303 ÷ 2 = 151 + 1;
- 151 ÷ 2 = 75 + 1;
- 75 ÷ 2 = 37 + 1;
- 37 ÷ 2 = 18 + 1;
- 18 ÷ 2 = 9 + 0;
- 9 ÷ 2 = 4 + 1;
- 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.
621 216(10) = 1001 0111 1010 1010 0000(2)
4. Determine the signed binary number bit length:
The base 2 number's actual length, in bits: 20.
- 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, 20,
3) so that the first bit (leftmost) could be zero
(we deal with a positive number at this moment)
=== is: 32.
5. Get the positive binary computer representation on 32 bits (4 Bytes):
If needed, add extra 0s in front (to the left) of the base 2 number, up to the required length, 32.