Binary Codes

The usual way of expressing a decimal number in terms of a binary number is known
as pure binary coding and is discussed in the Number Systems section. A number of
other techniques can be used to represent a decimal number. These are summarised
below.

8421 BCD Code

In the 8421 Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) representation each decimal digit is
converted to its 4-bit pure binary equivalent.

For example: 57dec = 0101 0111bcd

Addition is analogous to decimal addition with normal binary addition taking place from
right to left. For example,

6 0110 BCD for 6 42 0100 0010 BCD for 42

+3 0011 BCD for 3 +27 0010 0111 BCD for 27
____ __________
1001 BCD for 9 0110 1001 BCD for 69

Where the result of any addition exceeds 9(1001) then six (0110) must be added to the
sum to account for the six invalid BCD codes that are available with a 4-bit number.
This is illustrated in the example below

8 1001 BCD for 8

+7 0111 BCD for 7
_____
1111 exceeds 9 (1001) so
0110 add six (0110)
__________
0001 0101 BCD for 15

Note that in the last example the 1 that carried forward from the first group of 4 bits has
made a new 4-bit number and so represents the "1" in "15".

In the examples above the BCD numbers are split at every 4-bit boundary to make
reading them easier. This is not necessary when writing a BCD number down.

This coding is an example of a binary coded (each decimal number maps to four bits)
weighted (each bit represents a number, 1, 2, 4, etc.) code.

4221 BCD Code

The 4221 BCD code is another binary coded decimal code where each bit is weighted
by 4, 2, 2 and 1 respectively. Unlike BCD coding there are no invalid representations.
The decimal numbers 0 to 9 have the following 4221 equivalents

Decimal 4221 1's complement

0 0000 1111
1 0001 1110
2 0010 1101
3 0011 1100
4 1000 0111
5 0111 1000
6 1100 0011
7 1101 0010
8 1110 0001
9 1111 0000

the 1's complement of a 4221 representation is important in decimal arithmetic. In

forming the code remember the following rules

Below decimal 5 use the right-most bit representing 2 first

Above decimal 5 use the left-most bit representing 2 first
Decimal 5 = 2+2+1 and not 4+1

Gray Code

Gray coding is an important code and is used for its speed, it is also relatively free from
errors. In pure binary coding or 8421 BCD then counting from 7 (0111) to 8 (1000)
requires 4 bits to be changed simultaneously. If this does not happen then various
numbers could be momentarily generated during the transition so creating spurious
numbers which could be read.

Gray coding avoids this since only one bit changes between subsequent numbers. To
construct the code there are two simple rules. First start with all 0s and then proceed
by changing the least significant bit (lsb) which will bring about a new state.

The first 16 Gray coded numbers are indicated below.

Decimal Gray Code

0 0000
1 0001
2 0011
3 0010
4 0110
5 0111
 6 0101
7 0100
8 1100
9 1101
10 1111
11 1110
12 1010
13 1011
14 1001
15 1000

To convert a Gray-coded number to binary then follow this method

1. The binary number and the Gray-coded number will have the same number of
bits
2. The binary MSB (left-hand bit) and Gray code MSB will always be the same
3. To get the binary next-to-MSB (i.e. next digit to the right) add the binary MSB
and the gray code next-to-MSB. Record the sum, ignoring any carry.
4. Continue in this manner right through to the end.

An example of converting a gray code number to its pure binary equivalent is available
in the Solved Problems

Gray coding is a non-BCD, non-weighted reflected binary code.