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;
- 1 391 460 587 ÷ 2 = 695 730 293 + 1;
- 695 730 293 ÷ 2 = 347 865 146 + 1;
- 347 865 146 ÷ 2 = 173 932 573 + 0;
- 173 932 573 ÷ 2 = 86 966 286 + 1;
- 86 966 286 ÷ 2 = 43 483 143 + 0;
- 43 483 143 ÷ 2 = 21 741 571 + 1;
- 21 741 571 ÷ 2 = 10 870 785 + 1;
- 10 870 785 ÷ 2 = 5 435 392 + 1;
- 5 435 392 ÷ 2 = 2 717 696 + 0;
- 2 717 696 ÷ 2 = 1 358 848 + 0;
- 1 358 848 ÷ 2 = 679 424 + 0;
- 679 424 ÷ 2 = 339 712 + 0;
- 339 712 ÷ 2 = 169 856 + 0;
- 169 856 ÷ 2 = 84 928 + 0;
- 84 928 ÷ 2 = 42 464 + 0;
- 42 464 ÷ 2 = 21 232 + 0;
- 21 232 ÷ 2 = 10 616 + 0;
- 10 616 ÷ 2 = 5 308 + 0;
- 5 308 ÷ 2 = 2 654 + 0;
- 2 654 ÷ 2 = 1 327 + 0;
- 1 327 ÷ 2 = 663 + 1;
- 663 ÷ 2 = 331 + 1;
- 331 ÷ 2 = 165 + 1;
- 165 ÷ 2 = 82 + 1;
- 82 ÷ 2 = 41 + 0;
- 41 ÷ 2 = 20 + 1;
- 20 ÷ 2 = 10 + 0;
- 10 ÷ 2 = 5 + 0;
- 5 ÷ 2 = 2 + 1;
- 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.
1 391 460 587(10) = 101 0010 1111 0000 0000 0000 1110 1011(2)
3. Determine the signed binary number bit length:
The base 2 number's actual length, in bits: 31.
- 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, 31,
3) so that the first bit (leftmost) could be zero
(we deal with a positive number at this moment)
=== is: 32.
4. 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.
Decimal Number 1 391 460 587(10) converted to signed binary in two's complement representation:
Spaces were used to group digits: for binary, by 4, for decimal, by 3.