16.000 122 100 114 57 Converted to 32 Bit Single Precision IEEE 754 Binary Floating Point Representation Standard

Convert decimal 16.000 122 100 114 57(10) to 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point representation standard (1 bit for sign, 8 bits for exponent, 23 bits for mantissa)

What are the steps to convert decimal number
16.000 122 100 114 57(10) to 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point representation (1 bit for sign, 8 bits for exponent, 23 bits for mantissa)

1. First, convert to binary (in base 2) the integer part: 16.
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;
  • 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 integer part of the number.

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

16(10) =


1 0000(2)


3. Convert to binary (base 2) the fractional part: 0.000 122 100 114 57.

Multiply it repeatedly by 2.


Keep track of each integer part of the results.


Stop when we get a fractional part that is equal to zero.


  • #) multiplying = integer + fractional part;
  • 1) 0.000 122 100 114 57 × 2 = 0 + 0.000 244 200 229 14;
  • 2) 0.000 244 200 229 14 × 2 = 0 + 0.000 488 400 458 28;
  • 3) 0.000 488 400 458 28 × 2 = 0 + 0.000 976 800 916 56;
  • 4) 0.000 976 800 916 56 × 2 = 0 + 0.001 953 601 833 12;
  • 5) 0.001 953 601 833 12 × 2 = 0 + 0.003 907 203 666 24;
  • 6) 0.003 907 203 666 24 × 2 = 0 + 0.007 814 407 332 48;
  • 7) 0.007 814 407 332 48 × 2 = 0 + 0.015 628 814 664 96;
  • 8) 0.015 628 814 664 96 × 2 = 0 + 0.031 257 629 329 92;
  • 9) 0.031 257 629 329 92 × 2 = 0 + 0.062 515 258 659 84;
  • 10) 0.062 515 258 659 84 × 2 = 0 + 0.125 030 517 319 68;
  • 11) 0.125 030 517 319 68 × 2 = 0 + 0.250 061 034 639 36;
  • 12) 0.250 061 034 639 36 × 2 = 0 + 0.500 122 069 278 72;
  • 13) 0.500 122 069 278 72 × 2 = 1 + 0.000 244 138 557 44;
  • 14) 0.000 244 138 557 44 × 2 = 0 + 0.000 488 277 114 88;
  • 15) 0.000 488 277 114 88 × 2 = 0 + 0.000 976 554 229 76;
  • 16) 0.000 976 554 229 76 × 2 = 0 + 0.001 953 108 459 52;
  • 17) 0.001 953 108 459 52 × 2 = 0 + 0.003 906 216 919 04;
  • 18) 0.003 906 216 919 04 × 2 = 0 + 0.007 812 433 838 08;
  • 19) 0.007 812 433 838 08 × 2 = 0 + 0.015 624 867 676 16;
  • 20) 0.015 624 867 676 16 × 2 = 0 + 0.031 249 735 352 32;
  • 21) 0.031 249 735 352 32 × 2 = 0 + 0.062 499 470 704 64;
  • 22) 0.062 499 470 704 64 × 2 = 0 + 0.124 998 941 409 28;
  • 23) 0.124 998 941 409 28 × 2 = 0 + 0.249 997 882 818 56;
  • 24) 0.249 997 882 818 56 × 2 = 0 + 0.499 995 765 637 12;

We didn't get any fractional part that was equal to zero. But we had enough iterations (over Mantissa limit) and at least one integer that was different from zero => FULL STOP (Losing precision - the converted number we get in the end will be just a very good approximation of the initial one).


4. Construct the base 2 representation of the fractional part of the number.

Take all the integer parts of the multiplying operations, starting from the top of the constructed list above:


0.000 122 100 114 57(10) =


0.0000 0000 0000 1000 0000 0000(2)

5. Positive number before normalization:

16.000 122 100 114 57(10) =


1 0000.0000 0000 0000 1000 0000 0000(2)

6. Normalize the binary representation of the number.

Shift the decimal mark 4 positions to the left, so that only one non zero digit remains to the left of it:


16.000 122 100 114 57(10) =


1 0000.0000 0000 0000 1000 0000 0000(2) =


1 0000.0000 0000 0000 1000 0000 0000(2) × 20 =


1.0000 0000 0000 0000 1000 0000 0000(2) × 24


7. Up to this moment, there are the following elements that would feed into the 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point representation:

Sign 0 (a positive number)


Exponent (unadjusted): 4


Mantissa (not normalized):
1.0000 0000 0000 0000 1000 0000 0000


8. Adjust the exponent.

Use the 8 bit excess/bias notation:


Exponent (adjusted) =


Exponent (unadjusted) + 2(8-1) - 1 =


4 + 2(8-1) - 1 =


(4 + 127)(10) =


131(10)


9. Convert the adjusted exponent from the decimal (base 10) to 8 bit binary.

Use the same technique of repeatedly dividing by 2:


  • division = quotient + remainder;
  • 131 ÷ 2 = 65 + 1;
  • 65 ÷ 2 = 32 + 1;
  • 32 ÷ 2 = 16 + 0;
  • 16 ÷ 2 = 8 + 0;
  • 8 ÷ 2 = 4 + 0;
  • 4 ÷ 2 = 2 + 0;
  • 2 ÷ 2 = 1 + 0;
  • 1 ÷ 2 = 0 + 1;

10. Construct the base 2 representation of the adjusted exponent.

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


Exponent (adjusted) =


131(10) =


1000 0011(2)


11. Normalize the mantissa.

a) Remove the leading (the leftmost) bit, since it's allways 1, and the decimal point, if the case.


b) Adjust its length to 23 bits, by removing the excess bits, from the right (if any of the excess bits is set on 1, we are losing precision...).


Mantissa (normalized) =


1. 000 0000 0000 0000 0100 0000 0 0000 =


000 0000 0000 0000 0100 0000


12. The three elements that make up the number's 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point representation:

Sign (1 bit) =
0 (a positive number)


Exponent (8 bits) =
1000 0011


Mantissa (23 bits) =
000 0000 0000 0000 0100 0000


Decimal number 16.000 122 100 114 57 converted to 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point representation:

0 - 1000 0011 - 000 0000 0000 0000 0100 0000


How to convert decimal numbers from base ten to 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point standard

Follow the steps below to convert a base 10 decimal number to 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point:

  • 1. If the number to be converted is negative, start with its the positive version.
  • 2. First convert the integer part. Divide repeatedly by 2 the base ten positive representation of the integer number that is to be converted to binary, until we get a quotient that is equal to zero, keeping track of each remainder.
  • 3. Construct the base 2 representation of the positive integer part of the number, by taking all the remainders of the previous dividing operations, 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. Then convert the fractional part. Multiply the number repeatedly by 2, until we get a fractional part that is equal to zero, keeping track of each integer part of the results.
  • 5. Construct the base 2 representation of the fractional part of the number by taking all the integer parts of the previous multiplying operations, starting from the top of the constructed list above (they should appear in the binary representation, from left to right, in the order they have been calculated).
  • 6. Normalize the binary representation of the number, by shifting the decimal point (or if you prefer, the decimal mark) "n" positions either to the left or to the right, so that only one non zero digit remains to the left of the decimal point.
  • 7. Adjust the exponent in 8 bit excess/bias notation and then convert it from decimal (base 10) to 8 bit binary, by using the same technique of repeatedly dividing by 2, as shown above:
    Exponent (adjusted) = Exponent (unadjusted) + 2(8-1) - 1
  • 8. Normalize mantissa, remove the leading (leftmost) bit, since it's allways '1' (and the decimal sign if the case) and adjust its length to 23 bits, either by removing the excess bits from the right (losing precision...) or by adding extra '0' bits to the right.
  • 9. Sign (it takes 1 bit) is either 1 for a negative or 0 for a positive number.

Example: convert the negative number -25.347 from decimal system (base ten) to 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point:

  • 1. Start with the positive version of the number:

    |-25.347| = 25.347

  • 2. First convert the integer part, 25. Divide it repeatedly by 2, keeping track of each remainder, until we get a quotient that is equal to zero:
    • division = quotient + remainder;
    • 25 ÷ 2 = 12 + 1;
    • 12 ÷ 2 = 6 + 0;
    • 6 ÷ 2 = 3 + 0;
    • 3 ÷ 2 = 1 + 1;
    • 1 ÷ 2 = 0 + 1;
    • We have encountered a quotient that is ZERO => FULL STOP
  • 3. Construct the base 2 representation of the integer part of the number by taking all the remainders of the previous dividing operations, starting from the bottom of the list constructed above:

    25(10) = 1 1001(2)

  • 4. Then convert the fractional part, 0.347. Multiply repeatedly by 2, keeping track of each integer part of the results, until we get a fractional part that is equal to zero:
    • #) multiplying = integer + fractional part;
    • 1) 0.347 × 2 = 0 + 0.694;
    • 2) 0.694 × 2 = 1 + 0.388;
    • 3) 0.388 × 2 = 0 + 0.776;
    • 4) 0.776 × 2 = 1 + 0.552;
    • 5) 0.552 × 2 = 1 + 0.104;
    • 6) 0.104 × 2 = 0 + 0.208;
    • 7) 0.208 × 2 = 0 + 0.416;
    • 8) 0.416 × 2 = 0 + 0.832;
    • 9) 0.832 × 2 = 1 + 0.664;
    • 10) 0.664 × 2 = 1 + 0.328;
    • 11) 0.328 × 2 = 0 + 0.656;
    • 12) 0.656 × 2 = 1 + 0.312;
    • 13) 0.312 × 2 = 0 + 0.624;
    • 14) 0.624 × 2 = 1 + 0.248;
    • 15) 0.248 × 2 = 0 + 0.496;
    • 16) 0.496 × 2 = 0 + 0.992;
    • 17) 0.992 × 2 = 1 + 0.984;
    • 18) 0.984 × 2 = 1 + 0.968;
    • 19) 0.968 × 2 = 1 + 0.936;
    • 20) 0.936 × 2 = 1 + 0.872;
    • 21) 0.872 × 2 = 1 + 0.744;
    • 22) 0.744 × 2 = 1 + 0.488;
    • 23) 0.488 × 2 = 0 + 0.976;
    • 24) 0.976 × 2 = 1 + 0.952;
    • We didn't get any fractional part that was equal to zero. But we had enough iterations (over Mantissa limit = 23) and at least one integer part that was different from zero => FULL STOP (losing precision...).
  • 5. Construct the base 2 representation of the fractional part of the number, by taking all the integer parts of the previous multiplying operations, starting from the top of the constructed list above:

    0.347(10) = 0.0101 1000 1101 0100 1111 1101(2)

  • 6. Summarizing - the positive number before normalization:

    25.347(10) = 1 1001.0101 1000 1101 0100 1111 1101(2)

  • 7. Normalize the binary representation of the number, shifting the decimal point 4 positions to the left so that only one non-zero digit stays to the left of the decimal point:

    25.347(10) =
    1 1001.0101 1000 1101 0100 1111 1101(2) =
    1 1001.0101 1000 1101 0100 1111 1101(2) × 20 =
    1.1001 0101 1000 1101 0100 1111 1101(2) × 24

  • 8. Up to this moment, there are the following elements that would feed into the 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point:

    Sign: 1 (a negative number)

    Exponent (unadjusted): 4

    Mantissa (not-normalized): 1.1001 0101 1000 1101 0100 1111 1101

  • 9. Adjust the exponent in 8 bit excess/bias notation and then convert it from decimal (base 10) to 8 bit binary (base 2), by using the same technique of repeatedly dividing it by 2, as already demonstrated above:

    Exponent (adjusted) = Exponent (unadjusted) + 2(8-1) - 1 = (4 + 127)(10) = 131(10) =
    1000 0011(2)

  • 10. Normalize the mantissa, remove the leading (leftmost) bit, since it's allways '1' (and the decimal point) and adjust its length to 23 bits, by removing the excess bits from the right (losing precision...):

    Mantissa (not-normalized): 1.1001 0101 1000 1101 0100 1111 1101

    Mantissa (normalized): 100 1010 1100 0110 1010 0111

  • Conclusion:

    Sign (1 bit) = 1 (a negative number)

    Exponent (8 bits) = 1000 0011

    Mantissa (23 bits) = 100 1010 1100 0110 1010 0111

  • Number -25.347, converted from the decimal system (base 10) to 32 bit single precision IEEE 754 binary floating point =
    1 - 1000 0011 - 100 1010 1100 0110 1010 0111