Decimal to Binary: 5 Mistakes to Avoid
Converts a base-10 number to binary, octal and hex. The maths is not complicated, but a handful of errors come up again and again in this and related math & geometry calculations. Here is what to watch for.
Calculators are best used to check working rather than replace it, especially for exams where method marks count. Work the problem by hand first, then confirm with the calculator.
A quick mental estimate before calculating is a powerful check. If a room's floor area comes out at 4,000 square metres or a percentage comes out above 100% when it should not, you know to look again.
1. Forgetting the order of operations
Powers and brackets come before multiplication and addition.
2. Confusing radius and diameter
Many circle formulas use the radius, which is half the diameter.
3. Dropping negative signs
Signs matter for roots, changes and differences.
4. Population versus sample formulas
Sample standard deviation divides by n − 1; population divides by n.
5. Mixing units
Measurements must all be in the same unit before applying the formula.
The correct method
Repeatedly divide by the base and read the remainders upwards.
For example, with these inputs:
- Decimal number: 156
the calculator returns:
- Binary: 10011100
- Octal: 234
- Hexadecimal: 9C
Related calculations
- Standard Deviation Calculator: Measures how spread out a list of numbers is.
- Weighted Average Calculator: Calculates averages where items count differently, like weighted exam components.
- GCD (HCF) Calculator: Finds the highest common factor.
- LCM Calculator: Finds the lowest common multiple.
The Decimal to Binary Converter applies the formula consistently, so it is a quick way to double-check your own working.
Run your own numbers: Decimal to Binary Converter