CONVERSION OF NUMBER BASES

Base 10 is the most popular and arguably the most conveniently used counting system; and convention
has it as a bridge that connects the tracks of other bases and counting systems. This means that, while
going from a base, say 7, to another (5 for instance), one would have to pass through the bridge of 10.
However, most students do this all the time with little troubles, and most comfortably, by following
rules. The question is, 'are these rules helping students to get a grasp of these concepts, and hence
translate them into solutions to Real World Problems (RWP)?

To achieve this, we would try to go beyond representation to re-arrangement. The former is what we
have already learnt in the last section, placing a given number of objects in rows and columns of a given
number base. The latter entails re-arranging these to other number of rows and columns. To do this, we
would learn to bypass the bridge of base 10, and instead go straight to our destination without much
troubles. Only the concepts of addition and subtraction are of utmost importance here. Are you ready?

Recall: While counting in the base of a given number, we can't have a number greater than or equal to
the given number. In mathematics we write it in short form thus: For a base , where ∈ , and for a
number ∈ , < ; is the largest number in base . For example, we don't include 6 while
counting in the base of 6, but we write every other digit less than 6. We write 10 (better pronounced one
- zero instead of ten) where we should have written 6; and immediately continue from 11 (one - one).
When we get to 55 (still in base 6), instead of writing 56, we would write 100 (one-zero-zero). This is
because:

and not
0 5 5 or
0 5 5
0 5 5 + 0 1 + 0 1
+ 0 1 = 0 5 6 = 0 6 0
= 1 0 0
0 5 5
or
+ 0 1
= 5 1 0

Now let us arrange the following objects in rows of six, assigning them each the appropriate number
counted in base 6.

a) 51 blocks

b) 2 scores and half a dozen pens

Solution
 1 2 3 4 5 10
51 blocks (that is fifty-one or 5 x 10 + 1 Blocks) =

This could be represented as:

eight 6s + 3 ones 11 12 13 14 15 20
5110 = [836]= 1236

In our place value system, the first 100 goes for 21 22 23 24 25 30

the hundred term. The next two 6s go under

6 tens, and the last 3 ones go as 3 units. Thus:

31 32 33 34 35 40
H T U

1 2 3 = 1006 + 206 + 36 41 42 43 44 45 50

In other words, the first 1006 can make a square

(=106 x 106) = (106)2 = (610)2

51 52 53 54 55 100
1236 = 1 x 1062 + 2 x 1061 + 3 x 1060

= 1 x 62 + 2 x 61 + 3 x 60
101 102 103 104 105 110
Now, as an extension of example a), we can try

re-arranging these blocks from groups of 6 to 111 112 113 114 115 120

groups of 5. To do this:

121 122 123

We put the blocks in columns of 5, extending the rows. This is shown in the diagram in the next page.
Hence we have...
 We immediately see that 1236 = 2015. Thus represented

2 squares of 5 (2 x 52) and 1 unit.

1 2 3 4 10

H T U

11 12 13 14 20 2 0 1 = 2005 + 05 + 15

= 2 x 1052 + 0 x 1051 + 1 x 1050

21 22 23 24 30 = 2 x 52 + 0 x 51 + 1 x 50

31 32 33 34 40
The drawings are there for a better understanding . When

we must have had a good grasp of the picture, we could then

41 42 43 44 100 visualize them in the mind without having to draw many boxes

or objects.

101 102 103 104 110 When we convert, say 1236 to a number in base five, we could

start by writing out the given number in its place value system

(PVS), thus:
111 112 113 114 120
1236 = 1 x 62 + 2 x 61 + 3 x 60

Then we consider how many 52, 51 & 50 would be contained in

121 122 123 124 130
62, 61 & 60 respectively.

1 x 62 = 1 x 52 + 2 x 51 + 1
131 132 133 134 140
2 x 61 = 2 x 51 + 2

3 x 60 = 3 x 50= 3
141 142 143 144 200
Now we add up corresponding terms:
1 x 52 + 2 x 51 + 1 x 50

201 + 2 x 51 + 2 x 50

+ 3 x 50
= 1 x52 + 4 x 51 + 6 x 50
But 6 x 50 is already more than 5. We can break it further down into 1 x 51 + 1 x 50. We add the one 5 to
the fives (5s) and leave the remaining unit, thus:

1 x52 + 4 x 51 + 0 x 50

+ 1 x 51 + 1 x 50

= 1 x 52 + 5 X 5 1 + 1 x
0

But 5 x 50 is also up to one 52: 5 fives = 1005 = 1 x 52

So we add it to the 1 x 52, remaining zero fives, thus:

1 x52 + 0 x 51 + 1 x 50

+ 1 x 52
2 x 52 + 0 x 51 + 1 x 50

= 2 0 1

1236= 2015
Now try out a number of examples and exercises on your own for practise...