Convert -834 413 856 to a Signed Binary in One's (1's) Complement Representation

How to convert decimal number -834 413 856(10) to a signed binary in one's (1's) complement representation

What are the steps to convert decimal number
-834 413 856 to a signed binary in one's (1'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.

1. Start with the positive version of the number:

|-834 413 856| = 834 413 856

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;
  • 834 413 856 ÷ 2 = 417 206 928 + 0;
  • 417 206 928 ÷ 2 = 208 603 464 + 0;
  • 208 603 464 ÷ 2 = 104 301 732 + 0;
  • 104 301 732 ÷ 2 = 52 150 866 + 0;
  • 52 150 866 ÷ 2 = 26 075 433 + 0;
  • 26 075 433 ÷ 2 = 13 037 716 + 1;
  • 13 037 716 ÷ 2 = 6 518 858 + 0;
  • 6 518 858 ÷ 2 = 3 259 429 + 0;
  • 3 259 429 ÷ 2 = 1 629 714 + 1;
  • 1 629 714 ÷ 2 = 814 857 + 0;
  • 814 857 ÷ 2 = 407 428 + 1;
  • 407 428 ÷ 2 = 203 714 + 0;
  • 203 714 ÷ 2 = 101 857 + 0;
  • 101 857 ÷ 2 = 50 928 + 1;
  • 50 928 ÷ 2 = 25 464 + 0;
  • 25 464 ÷ 2 = 12 732 + 0;
  • 12 732 ÷ 2 = 6 366 + 0;
  • 6 366 ÷ 2 = 3 183 + 0;
  • 3 183 ÷ 2 = 1 591 + 1;
  • 1 591 ÷ 2 = 795 + 1;
  • 795 ÷ 2 = 397 + 1;
  • 397 ÷ 2 = 198 + 1;
  • 198 ÷ 2 = 99 + 0;
  • 99 ÷ 2 = 49 + 1;
  • 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:

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

834 413 856(10) = 11 0001 1011 1100 0010 0101 0010 0000(2)

4. Determine the signed binary number bit length:

  • The base 2 number's actual length, in bits: 30.

  • 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, 30,

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.


834 413 856(10) = 0011 0001 1011 1100 0010 0101 0010 0000

6. Get the negative integer number representation:

  • To write the negative integer number on 32 bits (4 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).


-834 413 856(10) = !(0011 0001 1011 1100 0010 0101 0010 0000)


Decimal Number -834 413 856(10) converted to signed binary in one's complement representation:

-834 413 856(10) = 1100 1110 0100 0011 1101 1010 1101 1111

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