Chapter 1 : Number Bases

1
A
1

Numbers in Base Two, Eight and Five

Stating Numbers in Base Two, Eight and Five.
The numbers we use daily are in base 10.
The place value of numbers in base 10 are as shown below.
103
100
0
9

Place Value
Numbers in
base 10

102
10
0
7

101
10

10o
1

(a) The place value of the digit 7 in the number

9703 is 100. The place value of any digit of a number is a fixed
value and does not change with the value of the digit. There is no place value equal to zero. The smallest
place value of all number bases is ones. For example, the place value of 3 in the number 9703 is 1.
(b) There are 10 digits that can be written in any place value column for numbers in base 10.
The digits are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
(c) The digit value or value of the digit varies with the place value and the digit. For example, in the number
9703, the value of the digit 7 is 7
100 = 700
The value of the digit 0 is 0 10 = 0

Likewise, numbers in base 2, 8, and 5 have their respective place value as shown below.
Base
Two
Eight
Five

Place Value
23
22 21
8
4
2
83
82 81
51
6
8
2
4
53
52 51
12
2
5
5
5

2o
1
8o
1
5o
1

3 (a) Numbers in base two are numbers which use only two digits, that is,
0 and 1, to represent any value.
(b) Numbers in base two are also known as binary numbers
(c) The place value of each digit in a binary number is a power of two.
For example

(a) Numbers in base eight are numbers which use only eight digits, that is, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, to represent
any value.
(b) Numbers in base eight are also known as octal numbers.

(c) The place value of each digit in an octal numbers is a power of eight.
For example,

(a) Numbers in base five are numbers which use only five digits, that is, 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, to represent any
value.
(b) Numbers in base five are also known as quinary numbers.
(c) The place value of each digit in a quinary number is a power of five.
For example,

Example 1
State the first ten whole numbers as numbers in base two.
Whole
Numbers

Place value of numbers in base 2

25
24
23
22
21
2o
32
16
8
4
2
1

Binary Numbers

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

9
10
Express 21
as a number in base 2
Example 2
State the first ten whole numbers as numbers in base eight.
Whole
Numbers

Place value of numbers in base 8

85
84
83
82 81 8o
3276
409
51
6
8 1
8
6
2
4

Octal Numbers

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Express 100 as a
number in base 8

Example 3
State the first ten whole numbers as numbers in base five.
Whole
Numbers

Place value of numbers in base 5

55
54
53
52 51 5o
3125 625 125 25 5
1

Quinary Numbers

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Express 93
as a number is base 5
Example 4
State three numbers in base two after (a) 112 and
(b) 11102.

Example 5
(a) State a number before and a number after 218 in base 8.
(b) State two numbers after 2778 in base 8.

Example 6
State two numbers in base 5 after 435.
Exercise 1a
1 State the following numbers:
(a) 210
(b) 910
(c) 1510
as numbers in base
(i) two, (ii) eight, (iii) five.
2

State two numbers in base two after

(a) 1102 ,
(b) 11112.

State the
(a) biggest,
(b) smallest,
3-digit number in base 2

State two numbers in base eight after

(a) 4638 ,
(b) 2778 .

State two numbers in base five after

(a) 2225 ,
(b) 4445 .

State the biggest 4-digit number in

(a) base 8,
(b) base 5.

(B)

(d) 2010

Stating the value of a digit of a number in base two, eight or five

Every digit in a number represents a certain value according to its place in the number.

The value of a digit of a number is the product obtained when the digit is multiplied by its place value.

The table below shows the place values of the digits of binary, octal and quinary numbers.
Base
Two
Eight
Five

26
64
86
26214
4
56
15625

25
32
85
3276
8
55
3125

Place value
24
23
16
8
84
83
409
51
6
2
54
53
625
12
5

22
4
82
6
4
52
2
5

21
2
81
8

2o
1
8o
1

51
5

5o
1

Example 7
State the value, in base ten, of the underlined digits in each of the following binary numbers.
(a) 1101 2
(b) 1011101 2
Example 8
State the value, in base ten, of the underlined digit in each of the following octal numbers.
(a) 2417 8
(b) 16 352 8
Example 9
State the value, in base ten, of the underlined digit in each of the following quinary numbers.
(a) 2415
(b) 31024 5
Example 10

The value of the underlined digit in the number 10 1010

is

1 2 n . State the value of n.

Example 11
The value of the underlined digit in the number is 212 8 is 2 8 n . State the value of n.
Exercise 1b
1 State the value, in base ten, of the underlined digit in each of the following binary numbers.
(a) 101 2
(b) 11 012
(c) 101 112
(d) 10 1011 2
(e) 1101101

101 10110 2
(g) 110 2
11110101 2
2

(j) 110011

(k) 1100011

(h) 134 8

(i) 336 8

(j) 2047 8

(k) 17345

(l)

(f)
(l)

State the value, in base ten, of the underlined digit in each of the following quinary numbers
(a) 32 5
(b) 4315
(c) 1402 5
(d) 23114 5
(e) 32 033 5

201344

(f)

(g) 34 5
4

(i) 10011

State the value, in base ten, of the underlined digit in each of the following octal numbers.
(a) 34 8
(b) 526 8
(c) 1025 8
(d) 31257 8
(e) 207416 8

1211034 8
(g) 25 8
216350 8
3

(h) 1111 2

(f)

(h) 214 5

(i) 420 5

(j)

12135

(a) The value of the underlined digit in the number 110 101010

(k)
2

is

432215

(l) 23411

1 2 n . State the value of n.

(b) The value of the underlined digit in the number 12 341 5 is 3 5 n . State the value of n.
(c) The value of the underlined digit in the number 3122 8 is 3 8 n . State the value of n.

Writing Numbers in Base 2, 8 and 5 in Expanded Notation.

A number written in expanded notation refers to the sum of the value of the digits that make up the number.
For example, let us written 42510 in expanded notation.
Place value
Number

102
4

101
2

10o
5

Therefore,
42510 written in expanded notation is as follows:
42510 = 4 102 + 2 101 + 5 100

Example 12
Write each of the following numbers in expanded notation.
(a) 10112
(b) 10101112
Example 13
Write each of the following numbers in expanded notation
(a) 5738
(b) 603538
Example 14
Write each of the following numbers in expanded notation.
(a) 21345
(b) 304235
Example 15

Express the following as a number in base two.

(a) 25 + 23 + 2
(b) 23 + 1
Example 16
Express the following as a number in base eight.
(a) 83 +3(8)2
(b) 2(83)+ 8 + 4
Example 17
Express the following as a number in base five.
(a) 54 + 4
(b) 2(53) + 3(52) + 2
Exercise 1c
1 Write each of the following numbers in base 2 in expanded notation.
(a) 102
(b) 1002
(c) 10002
(e) 11112
2

4
5
6

(f) 1112

(g) 10112

(d) 101002
(h) 1101002

Write each of the following numbers in base 8 in expanded notation.

(a) 7128
(b) 328
(c) 108
(e) 1778
(f) 738
(g) 31348

(d) 1008
(h) 541238

Write each of the following numbers in base 5 in expanded notation.

(a) 4105
(b) 105
(c) 10005
(e) 3235
(f) 2135
(g) 410435

(d) 125
(h) 2031015

Express the following as a number in base two.

(a) 24 + 23 + 2
(b) 25 + 23 + 2

(c) 24 + 23 + 2

Convert the following as a number in base eight.

(a) 82 + 6
(b) 83 + 5(82)
(c) 83 + 7

(d) 84 + 3(82) + 6

Express the following as a number in base five.

(a) 53 + 4
(b) 54 + (2)52 + 3
(c) 2(53) + 3(52) + 4

(d) 3(53) + 2(5) + 3

D
1

Converting a number in base two, eight or five to a number in base ten and vice versa
A number in base two, eight or five can be converted to a number in base ten by, first, expressing the number in
expanded notation, then, adding up the values (in base ten) of the digits of the number.

There are two methods to convert a number in base ten a number in base two, eight or five.
Method 1 : Using a place value table
Method 2 : Performing repeated division of the number by the desired base until the quotient equals to zero.
The answer is obtained by writing down the remainders from the bottom upwards.

Example 18
Convert each of the following numbers to a number in base ten.
(a) 1101012
(b) 5478

(c) 23145

Example 19
Express 120 as a number in

(a) base two,

(b) base eight,

(c) base five

Exercise 1d
1 Convert each of the following numbers in base 2 to numbers in base 10.
(a) 11102
(b) 1010102
(c) 1000012
(d) 111002
(e) 1112
(f) 100012
(g) 110112
(h) 1000102
(i) 11000012
2

Convert each of the following numbers in base 8 to numbers in base 10.

(a) 1238
(b) 4578
(c) 20138
(d) 400008
(e) 278
(f) 728
(g) 1308
(h) 35128
(i) 201068

Convert each of the following number in base 5 to numbers in base 10

(a) 1315
(b) 4445
(c) 10105
(d) 200005 (e) 235
(f) 1005
(g) 3315
(h) 42245
(i) 124105

Express each of the following numbers as a number in base two

(a) 1810
(b) 4910
(c) 6310
(d) 12810
(e) 21010
(f) 34510
(g) 1910
(h) 6510
(i) 4610
(j) 8910

Express each of the following numbers as a number in base eight.

(a) 2610
(b) 4210
(c) 6010
(d) 8510
(e) 10410
(f) 23810
(g) 5410
(h) 7210
(i) 10110
(j) 9910

Express each of the following numbers as a number in base five.

(a) 1410
(b) 8210
(c) 18810
(d) 24410
(e) 31610
(f) 52710
(g) 6010
(h) 7910
(i) 9110
(j) 10010

Concerting a number in a certain base to a number in another base

Basically, a number in a certain base can be converted to a number in another base by, first, converting the
number to a number in base ten, then, to a number in the desired base.

Example 20
(a) Express 10112 as a number in base five.
(b) Express 345 as a number in base two.
(c) Express 4235 as a number in base eight.
(d) Express 7658 as a number in base five.
(e) Express 2578 as a number in base two
(f) Express 1101012 as a number in base eight.

Exercise 1e
1 Express each of the following numbers in base two to numbers in base five.
(a) 1112
(b) 10012
(c) 11102
(d) 100012
(e) 110112
2
3

Express each of the following numbers in base five to numbers in base two.
(a) 215
(b) 445
(c) 1035
(d) 1305
(e) 4115

(f) 1001002
(f) 4325

Express each of the following numbers in base eight to numbers in base five.
(a) 178
(b) 338
(c) 468
(d) 2028
(e) 5138
(f) 7708

Express each of the following numbers in base five to numbers in base eight.
(a) 145
(b) 415
(c) 1105
(d) 2345
(e) 10015
(f) 22225

Express each of the following numbers in base two to numbers in base eight.
(a) 1102
(b) 1010012
(c) 11012
(d) 10002
(e) 101112
(f) 100012
(g) 1111002
(h) 1100102
(i) 100012
(j) 10111112

Express each of the following numbers in base eight to numbers in base two.
(a) 118
(b) 208
(c) 368
(d) 478
(e) 1568
(f) 2338
(g) 118
(h) 2158
(i) 1008
(j) 3708

Addition and subtraction of two numbers in base two.

The addition and subtraction of two numbers in base two follow the same pattern as those of numbers in base
ten.

To add two numbers in base two, the following addition rules are important.
02 + 02 = 02
02 + 12 = 12
12 + 02 = 12
12 + 12 + 12 = 102 + 12 = 11

To subtract two numbers in base two, the following subtraction rules are important.
02 02 = 02
12 02 = 12
12 12 = 02
102 12 = 12

Example 21
Find the sum of each of the following.
(a) 10112 + 10012

(b) 1101112 + 10112

Example 22
Calculate each of the following
(a) 110112 1012

(b) 100102 10012

Exercise 1f
1 Find the sum of the following numbers in base two.
(a) 102 + 12
(b) 112 + 112
(c) 102 + 112
(d)
(f) 1112 + 102
(g) 1012 + 112
(h) 1102 + 112
(i)
(k) 1012 + 101
(l) 1102 + 1112
(m) 1002 + 1012
(n)
(p) 110012 + 10112 (q) 110012 + 11112 (r) 1011112 + 1012 (s)
2

Find the difference between the following numbers in base two.

(a) 1112 112
(b) 1002 112
(c) 1012 102
(f) 1102 1002
(g) 1112 1012
(h) 1112 1002
(k) 10012 1102
(l) 11012 1112
(m) 11102 1012
(p) 110002 1102 (q) 10102 1112
(r) 111112 110112

112 + 12
1012 + 102
1102 + 1102
110012 + 10112

(d)
(i)
(n)
(s)

(e)
(j)
(o)
(t)

102 + 102
1102 + 102
1112 + 1112
111002 + 110102

1112 102
(e) 1012 112
1012 1002
(j) 1102 1012
10102 1112 (o) 10012 1012
10002 1112 (t) 1001102 - 11012

Answers
Exercise 1a
1 (a) (i) 102 (ii) 28 (iii) 25
(c) (i) 11112 (ii) 178 (iii) 305
2 (a) 1112, 100012 (b) 100002, 100012
4 (a) 4648, 4658 (b) 3008, 3018
6 (a) 77778 (b) 44445

(b) (i) 10012 (ii) 118 (iii) 145

(d) (i) 101002 (ii) 248 (iii) 405
3 (a) 1112 (b) 1002
5 (a) 2235, 2245 (b) 10005, 10015

Exercise 1b
1 (a) 4 (b) 0 (c) 2 (d) 8 (e) 32 (f) 16 (g) 2 (h) 4
(i) 0 (j) 16 (k) 32 (l) 128
2 (a) 4 (b) 320 (c) 0 (d) 12 288 (e) 65 536
(f) 262 144
(g) 5 (h) 24 (i) 192 (j) 0
(k) 4096 (l) 65536
3 (a) 2 (b) 15 (c) 125 (d) 375 (e) 0 (f) 6250 (g) 4
(h) 5 (i) 100 (j) 125 (k) 375 (l) 1250
4 (a) 5 (b) 2 (c) 3
Exercise 1c
1 (a) 102 = 1 21 + 0 2o
(b) 1002 =1 22 + 0 21 + 0 20
(c) 10002 = 1
23 + 0
22 + 0
21 + 0
2o
(d) 101002 = 1
24 + 0
23 + 1
22 + 0
21 + 0
o
2
(e) 11112 = 1
23 + 1
22 + 1
21 + 1
2o (f) 1
22 + 1
21 + 1
2o
(g) 1 23 + 0 22 + 1 21 + 1 2o
(h) 1 25 + 1 24 + 0 23 + 1 22 + 0 21 +1
0
2
2 (a) 7128 = 7
82 + 1
81 + 2
8o
(b) 328 = 3
81 + 2
8o
(c) 108 = 1
81 + 0
o
8
(d) 1008 = 1
82 + 0
81 + 0
80
(e) 1778 = 1
82 + 7
81 + 7
8o
(f) 7
81 + 3
8o
3
2
1
o
4
3
2
1
o
(g) 3 8 + 1 8 +3 8 + 4 8
(h) 5 8 + 4 8 + 1 8 + 2 8 + 3 8
3 (a) 4105 = 4
52 + 1
51 + 0
5o (b) 105 = 1
51 + 0
5o
(c) 10005 = 1 53 + 0 52 + 0 51 + 0 5o
(d) 125 = 1 51 + 2 5o
2
1
o
(e) 3235 = 3
5 +2
5 +3
5
(f) 2
52 + 1
51 + 3
5o
4
3
2
1
o
5
4
(g) 4 5 + 1 5 + 0 5 + 4 5 + 3 5
(h) 2 5 + 0 5 + 3 53 + 1 52 + 0 51 +
1
50
4 (a) 110102 (b) 1010102 (c) 110102
5 (a) 1068 (b) 15008 (c) 10078 (d) 103068
6 (a) 10045 (b) 102035 (c) 23045 (d) 30235

Exercise 1d
1 (a) 1410 (b) 4210 (c) 3310 (d) 2810 (e) 7 (f) 17 (g) 27 (h) 34 (i) 97
2 (a) 8310
(b) 30310 (c) 103510 (d) 16 38410 (e) 23 (f) 58 (g) 88 (h) 1866 (i) 8262
3 (a) 4110 (b) 12410 (c) 13010 (d) 125010 (e) 13 (f) 25 (g) 91 (h) 564 (i) 980
4 (a) 100102
(b) 1100012 (c) 1110012
(d) 1111112
(e) 100000002
(f) 110100102 (g) 100112
(h) 10000012 (i) 1011102 (j) 10110012
5 (a) 328 (b) 528 (c) 748 (d) 1258 (e) 1508 (f) 3568
(g) 668 (h) 1108 (i) 1458 (j) 1438
6 (a) 245
(b) 3125 (c) 12235 (d) 14345 (e) 22315
(f) 41025 (g) 2205
(h) 3045
(i) 3315
(j) 4005
Execise 1e
1 (a) 125 (b) 145 (c) 245 (d) 325 (e) 1025 (f) 1215
2 (a) 10112 (b) 110002 (c) 111002 (d) 101002 (e) 11010102 (f) 11101012
3 (a) 305 (b) 1025 (c) 1235 (d) 10105 (e) 23115 (f) 40045
4 (a) 118 (b) 258 (c) 368 (d) 1058 (e) 1768 (f) 4708
5 (a) 68 (b) 518 (c) 158 (d) 108 (e) 278 (f) 218 (g) 748 (h) 628 (i) 218
6 (a) 10012
(b) 100002 (c) 111102 (d) 1001112 (e) 11011102
(f) 100110112 (g) 10012 (h) 100011012 (i) 10000002 (j) 111110002

(j) 1378

Exercise 1f

1
2

(a)
(j)
(r)
(a)
(l)

112 (b) 1102 (c) 1012 (d) 1002 (e) 1002 (f) 10012 (g) 10002 (h) 10012 (i) 1112
10002 (k) 10102 (l) 11012 (m) 10012 (n) 11002 (o) 11102 (p) 1001002 (q) 1010002
1101002 (s) 1001002 (t) 1101102
1002 (b) 12 (c) 112 (d) 1012 (e) 102 (f) 102 (g) 102 (h) 112 (j) 12 (k) 112
1102 (m) 10012 (n) 112 (o) 1002 (p) 100102 (q) 112 (r) 1002 (s) 12 (t) 110012

10