BCD NOTATION Meaning and
Definition
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BCD notation, short for Binary Coded Decimal notation, is a method used to represent decimal numbers in binary form. It employs a binary code representation for each decimal digit in a number, thus enabling the storage and processing of decimal data in a binary computer system. In BCD notation, each decimal digit is expressed by a fixed number of binary bits, commonly four bits, which range from 0000 to 1001. This code allows simple conversion between decimal and binary formats, making it suitable for arithmetic calculations and data manipulation.
In BCD notation, the individual binary-coded decimal digits are typically grouped together to form a multibyte word, where each byte represents a decimal digit. The leftmost byte holds the most significant digit, while the rightmost byte contains the least significant digit. This notation offers seamless compatibility for data exchange between computers and external devices that use decimal representations.
BCD notation finds extensive utilization in various applications, such as financial systems, calculators, and industrial control systems, where accurate decimal calculations are essential. Unlike other binary representations, BCD notation directly parallels the decimal system, providing an efficient way to process and display decimal information. However, BCD notation requires more storage space than pure binary representations, as it employs four bits per decimal digit instead of the typical one-for-one binary representation. Moreover, due to the additional complexity and storage requirements, BCD notation is often not used as the primary internal representation format in modern computers, but rather serves as a conversion or display mechanism.
Etymology of BCD NOTATION
The term BCD notation stands for Binary-Coded Decimal notation.
The word binary refers to a number system that uses only two digits, 0 and 1, to represent all values. Coded means that these two digits are combined or encoded in a particular way. Decimal refers to the base-10 numbering system, which uses 10 digits (0 to 9) to represent all values.
The concept of representing decimal numbers using binary encoding dates back to the development of early computers. BCD notation was introduced as a way to store and process decimal numbers using binary-coded representation. It allowed computers to manipulate decimal data efficiently using binary arithmetic operations. The etymology of the word BCD notation hence derives from the combination of binary-coded and decimal.
