Computer Number System Questions with Solutions
Computers store and process all data in binary, using only the digits 0 and 1. This topic covers the four number systems used in computing: binary (base 2), octal (base 8), decimal (base 10) and hexadecimal (base 16, using digits 0 to 9 and letters A to F). It covers converting numbers between these systems, binary arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division), and complements (1's and 2's complement) used to represent negative numbers. The fastest conversions go through binary. Each octal digit equals a group of three binary digits, and each hexadecimal digit equals a group of four. To convert decimal to binary, divide by 2 repeatedly and read the remainders from bottom to top. Character encoding schemes such as ASCII and Unicode are also covered at a basic level. Practise the computer number system questions below, each with a step-by-step conversion.
- Q1.
Consider the following statements about the range of numbers in a 9-bit 1's complement and 2's complement system.
A. I and II onlyB. II and III onlyC. I and III onlyD. I, II and IIImediumAsked in NIMCET 2026View solution › - Q2.
What is the result of the binary subtraction 1100 − 1010 using 2’s complement?
A. 0010B. 0100C. 1010D. 1110mediumAsked in MAH MCA CET 2025View solution › - Q3.
How many bits are used to represent a character in ASCII encoding?
A. 7B. 8C. 16D. 32mediumAsked in MAH MCA CET 2025View solution › - Q4.
The binary code in which bits are arranged in such a way that only one bit changes at a time when a change is made from one number to the next is called______.
A. ASCIIB. Gray codeC. EBCDICD. Hex codemediumAsked in TCS ExamView solution › - Q5.
Which of the following binary operations would give 101011 as the result? (All numbers in this question are in the binary number system.)
A. 100010+ 11001B. 110101-1010C. 101111-1100D. 100101 + 1010mediumAsked in TCS ExamView solution › - Q6.
Which of the following binary operations would give 111010 as the result? (All numbers in this question are in binary number system)
A. 111111-1011B. 100101 + 10101C. 110001 + 10101D. 111101-101mediumAsked in TCS ExamView solution › - Q7.
Let and be two 8-bit 2's complement numbers. Their product in 2's complement notation is
A. 11000100B. 10011100C. 10100101D. 11010101mediumAsked in NIMCET 2012View solution › - Q8.
is equivalent to
A. B. C. Both (A) and (B)D. None of thesemediumAsked in NIMCET 2012View solution › - Q9.
When two binary numbers are added, an overflow will never occur if
A. both numbers have the same signB. the carry into the sign bit position and the carry out of the sign bit position are not equalC. the carry into the sign bit position and the carry out of the sign bit position are equalD. the carry into the sign bit position is 1mediumAsked in NIMCET 2011View solution › - Q10.
If , then the value of is
A. B. C. Both (A) and (B)D. None of thesemediumAsked in NIMCET 2010View solution › - Q11.
To change an upper-case letter to the lower-case letter in ASCII, the correct mask and operation should be:
A. and NORB. and NANDC. and ORD. None of thesemediumAsked in NIMCET 2009View solution › - Q12.
Floating point numbers in a computer are represented using a -bit mantissa (including a sign bit) and a -bit exponent (including a sign bit). What is the approximate value of the maximum number which can be represented? Assume that the mantissa is stored in the normalised form, that is, without leading zeroes.
A. B. C. D.mediumAsked in NIMCET 2008View solution › - Q13.
Given , the value of the radix is
A. B. C. D.mediumAsked in NIMCET 2008 +1View solution › - Q14.
Let and be two 8-bit 2's complement numbers. Their product in 2's complement is
A. B. C. D.mediumAsked in NIMCET 2008View solution › - Q15.
The decimal equivalent of is:
A. 0.75B. 0.11C. 0.5D. 0.375mediumView solution › - Q16.
The decimal equivalent of is:
A. 10.75B. 10.12C. 10.6D. 11.75mediumView solution › - Q17.
The hexadecimal equivalent of is:
A. 2DEB. 2EFC. 3EED. 2EEmediumView solution › - Q18.
The octal equivalent of is:
A. 0.375B. 0.3C. 0.6D. 0.03mediumView solution › - Q19.
The binary equivalent of is:
A. 110.001B. 110.01C. 110.101D. 101.001mediumView solution › - Q20.
The hexadecimal equivalent of is:
A. 0.DB. 0.CC. 0.ED. 0.8125mediumView solution ›