Convert 900 000 000 519 to a Signed Binary in Two's (2's) Complement Representation

How to convert decimal number 900 000 000 519(10) to a signed binary in two's (2's) complement representation

What are the steps to convert decimal number
900 000 000 519 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;
  • 900 000 000 519 ÷ 2 = 450 000 000 259 + 1;
  • 450 000 000 259 ÷ 2 = 225 000 000 129 + 1;
  • 225 000 000 129 ÷ 2 = 112 500 000 064 + 1;
  • 112 500 000 064 ÷ 2 = 56 250 000 032 + 0;
  • 56 250 000 032 ÷ 2 = 28 125 000 016 + 0;
  • 28 125 000 016 ÷ 2 = 14 062 500 008 + 0;
  • 14 062 500 008 ÷ 2 = 7 031 250 004 + 0;
  • 7 031 250 004 ÷ 2 = 3 515 625 002 + 0;
  • 3 515 625 002 ÷ 2 = 1 757 812 501 + 0;
  • 1 757 812 501 ÷ 2 = 878 906 250 + 1;
  • 878 906 250 ÷ 2 = 439 453 125 + 0;
  • 439 453 125 ÷ 2 = 219 726 562 + 1;
  • 219 726 562 ÷ 2 = 109 863 281 + 0;
  • 109 863 281 ÷ 2 = 54 931 640 + 1;
  • 54 931 640 ÷ 2 = 27 465 820 + 0;
  • 27 465 820 ÷ 2 = 13 732 910 + 0;
  • 13 732 910 ÷ 2 = 6 866 455 + 0;
  • 6 866 455 ÷ 2 = 3 433 227 + 1;
  • 3 433 227 ÷ 2 = 1 716 613 + 1;
  • 1 716 613 ÷ 2 = 858 306 + 1;
  • 858 306 ÷ 2 = 429 153 + 0;
  • 429 153 ÷ 2 = 214 576 + 1;
  • 214 576 ÷ 2 = 107 288 + 0;
  • 107 288 ÷ 2 = 53 644 + 0;
  • 53 644 ÷ 2 = 26 822 + 0;
  • 26 822 ÷ 2 = 13 411 + 0;
  • 13 411 ÷ 2 = 6 705 + 1;
  • 6 705 ÷ 2 = 3 352 + 1;
  • 3 352 ÷ 2 = 1 676 + 0;
  • 1 676 ÷ 2 = 838 + 0;
  • 838 ÷ 2 = 419 + 0;
  • 419 ÷ 2 = 209 + 1;
  • 209 ÷ 2 = 104 + 1;
  • 104 ÷ 2 = 52 + 0;
  • 52 ÷ 2 = 26 + 0;
  • 26 ÷ 2 = 13 + 0;
  • 13 ÷ 2 = 6 + 1;
  • 6 ÷ 2 = 3 + 0;
  • 3 ÷ 2 = 1 + 1;
  • 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.

900 000 000 519(10) = 1101 0001 1000 1100 0010 1110 0010 1010 0000 0111(2)

3. Determine the signed binary number bit length:

  • The base 2 number's actual length, in bits: 40.

  • 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, 40,

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 900 000 000 519(10) converted to signed binary in two's complement representation:

900 000 000 519(10) = 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 1101 0001 1000 1100 0010 1110 0010 1010 0000 0111

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