3.3.4 Binary Arithmetic

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1 Binary Sums

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Binary Additions

  • In the binary or base 2 number system, there are only two digits, 0 and 1.
  • This means that unlike in the denary number system 1 + 1 does not equal 2, it equals 10.
  • Look at the following rules that apply when adding binary numbers together:
    • 0 + 0 = 0
    • 0 + 1 = 1
    • 1 + 0 = 1
    • 1 + 1 = 10 (0 and carry the 1)
    • 1 + 1 + 1 = 11 (1 and carry the 1)
  • Binary addition can be performed using column addition. Because the largest value, a one-digit binary number can have is 1, anything that exceeds this must be carried over to the next column (2) in the base-2 place value table:
  32 16 8 4 2 1
            1
+           1
Answer         1 0
Carried         1  
  • Look at how 0101 and 0111 have been added together using column addition in the example below:
  32 16 8 4 2 1
      0 1 0 1
+     0 1 1 1
Answer     1 1 0 0
Carried     1 1 1  
  • 1 + 1 = 10 and 10 + 1 = 11 so:
  • 1 + 1 + 1 = 11

Overflow Errors

  • An overflow error occurs when the answer to a binary addition equation is larger thab the CPU is capable of handling.
  • For example, a CPU with a capacity of 8 bits can handle binary numbers upto 11111111. However, if one more bit was added to give 100000000, a 9-bit answer, the CPU would ignore the 1 and output 00000000, which is incorrect.

Binary Addition Explained

  • The following video explains how to perform binary addition.

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Silver - Complete the following binary additions:

1

  128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
  0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
+ 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
Answer                
Carried                

2

  128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
  0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1
  0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
+ 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
Answer                
Carried                

3

  128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
  1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
  1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1
+ 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
Answer                
Carried                

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Binary Shifts

  • In the binary or base 2 number system, the value of a digit changes by a power of two, when its place in a number shifts to the left (Multiplied) or to the right (Divided)
  • The following table shows how binary numbers are shift by the power of two:
  Shift Left Shift Right
Shift 1 Place Multiply by 2 Divide by 2
Shift 2 Places Multiply by 4 Divide by 4
Shift 3 Places Multiply by 8 Divide by 8

Shifted to the Left (Multiplication) of a Binary Number)

  • If the binary number is shifted to the left this is equivalent to multiplying the number by 2 for each shift to the left.
  • For example: If we shift two places to the left:
0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

<—————————————————

  • This gives us the binary number:
0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0
  • (Note: We fill empty binary positions with 0s as we shift to the left)
  • The original binary number has a value of 15 (i.e. 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 15).
  • After shifting two places to the left the value is 60 (i.e. 32 + 16 + 8 + 2 + 1 = 15). It is multiplied by 4 or 22

Shifted to the Right (Division) of a Binary Number)

  • If the binary number is shifted to the right this is equivalent to dividing the number by 2 for each shift to the left.
  • For example: If we shift three places to the right:
0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

-—————————————————>

  • This gives us the binary number:
0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
  • The original binary number has a value of 112 (i.e. 64 + 32 + 16 = 112).
  • After shifting three places to the right the value is 14 (i.e. 8 + 4 + 2 = 14). The number was divided by 8 and becomes 23
  • (Note: We fill empty binary positions with 0s as we shift to the right)

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Gold - Write down the results after the following shift operations and write down the decimal values before and after the shifts:

1. The binary number 11001100 is shifted TWO places to the right.
2. The binary number 00011001 is shifted TWO places to the left.
3. The binary number 11001000 is shifted THREE places to the right.
4. The binary number 00000111 is shifted FOUR places to the left.
5. The binary number 10000000 is shifted FIVE places to the right.

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Binary Shift Accuracy with multiplication/division by Powers of 2

  • This method gives us an easy way to multiply and divide binary numbers by powers of 2, but can come at the expense of accuracy.
  • For example 00000110 shifted right twice to divide by 4 would be 00000001. This is the equilvalent of decimal 1, but 6/4 = 1.5.
    • Shifting right one place divides the number by 2.
    • Shifting left one place multiplies the number by 2.
  • This is equivalent to shifting a decimal number right or left - For example shifting 12300 right 1230, i.e. It divides the number by 10. Shifting left multiplies a decimal number by 10.

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Platinum - Answer the following questions:

  1. Computers can encounter overflow when adding binary numbers.
    • i) Give an example of an 8-bit binary addition where an overflow

    occurs?

    • ii) Explain how a computer deals with the overflow?
  2. Carry out the following binary additions:
    • i) 00011100 + 01110011 + 01001101
    • ii) 11101001 + 01010101 + 11111111
  3. Complete a 3 place left shift on the binary number: 00011010
  4. State an appropriate shift to divide a binary number by 4 and use it on: 11010100
  5. Tim says "Adding a binary number to itself is the same as a 2 place left shift." Is he correct? Explain your answer.

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