Convert 1 100 001 101 273 to a Signed Binary in Two's (2's) Complement Representation

How to convert decimal number 1 100 001 101 273(10) to a signed binary in two's (2's) complement representation

What are the steps to convert decimal number
1 100 001 101 273 to a signed binary in two's (2'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. Divide the number repeatedly by 2:

Keep track of each remainder.

We stop when we get a quotient that is equal to zero.


  • division = quotient + remainder;
  • 1 100 001 101 273 ÷ 2 = 550 000 550 636 + 1;
  • 550 000 550 636 ÷ 2 = 275 000 275 318 + 0;
  • 275 000 275 318 ÷ 2 = 137 500 137 659 + 0;
  • 137 500 137 659 ÷ 2 = 68 750 068 829 + 1;
  • 68 750 068 829 ÷ 2 = 34 375 034 414 + 1;
  • 34 375 034 414 ÷ 2 = 17 187 517 207 + 0;
  • 17 187 517 207 ÷ 2 = 8 593 758 603 + 1;
  • 8 593 758 603 ÷ 2 = 4 296 879 301 + 1;
  • 4 296 879 301 ÷ 2 = 2 148 439 650 + 1;
  • 2 148 439 650 ÷ 2 = 1 074 219 825 + 0;
  • 1 074 219 825 ÷ 2 = 537 109 912 + 1;
  • 537 109 912 ÷ 2 = 268 554 956 + 0;
  • 268 554 956 ÷ 2 = 134 277 478 + 0;
  • 134 277 478 ÷ 2 = 67 138 739 + 0;
  • 67 138 739 ÷ 2 = 33 569 369 + 1;
  • 33 569 369 ÷ 2 = 16 784 684 + 1;
  • 16 784 684 ÷ 2 = 8 392 342 + 0;
  • 8 392 342 ÷ 2 = 4 196 171 + 0;
  • 4 196 171 ÷ 2 = 2 098 085 + 1;
  • 2 098 085 ÷ 2 = 1 049 042 + 1;
  • 1 049 042 ÷ 2 = 524 521 + 0;
  • 524 521 ÷ 2 = 262 260 + 1;
  • 262 260 ÷ 2 = 131 130 + 0;
  • 131 130 ÷ 2 = 65 565 + 0;
  • 65 565 ÷ 2 = 32 782 + 1;
  • 32 782 ÷ 2 = 16 391 + 0;
  • 16 391 ÷ 2 = 8 195 + 1;
  • 8 195 ÷ 2 = 4 097 + 1;
  • 4 097 ÷ 2 = 2 048 + 1;
  • 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;

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

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

1 100 001 101 273(10) = 1 0000 0000 0001 1101 0010 1100 1100 0101 1101 1001(2)

3. Determine the signed binary number bit length:

  • The base 2 number's actual length, in bits: 41.

  • 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, 41,

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


=== is: 64.


4. 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.


Decimal Number 1 100 001 101 273(10) converted to signed binary in two's complement representation:

1 100 001 101 273(10) = 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0001 0000 0000 0001 1101 0010 1100 1100 0101 1101 1001

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


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

Follow the steps below to convert a signed base 10 integer number to signed binary in two'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, keeping track of each remainder, until we get a quotient that is 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, add extra bits on 0 in front (to the left) of the base 2 number above, up to the required length, so that the first bit (the leftmost) will 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 1s and all 1 bits with 0s (reversing the digits).
  • 6. To get the negative integer number, in signed binary two's complement representation, add 1 to the number above.

Example: convert the negative number -60 from the decimal system (base ten) to signed binary in two's complement:

  • 1. Start with the positive version of the number: |-60| = 60
  • 2. Divide repeatedly 60 by 2, keeping track of each remainder:
    • division = quotient + remainder
    • 60 ÷ 2 = 30 + 0
    • 30 ÷ 2 = 15 + 0
    • 15 ÷ 2 = 7 + 1
    • 7 ÷ 2 = 3 + 1
    • 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:
    60(10) = 11 1100(2)
  • 4. Bit length of base 2 representation number is 6, so the positive binary computer representation of a signed binary will take in this particular case 8 bits (the least power of 2 larger than 6) - add extra 0 digits in front of the base 2 number, up to the required length:
    60(10) = 0011 1100(2)
  • 5. To get the negative integer number representation in signed binary one's complement, replace all the 0 bits with 1s and all 1 bits with 0s (reversing the digits):
    !(0011 1100) = 1100 0011
  • 6. To get the negative integer number, signed binary in two's complement representation, add 1 to the number above:
    -60(10) = 1100 0011 + 1 = 1100 0100
  • Number -60(10), signed integer, converted from decimal system (base 10) to signed binary two's complement representation = 1100 0100