Decimal to Binary Converter
Transform decimal into binary or binary into decimal with this free, easy-to-use online tool.
Click to copy the output. Made for devs, the StrongDM way: fast, simple, secure.
How to Use This Tool
Step 1: Enter Data: Type a decimal number (e.g., 42) or a binary number (e.g., 101010) into the input box.
Step 2: Convert: Click “Decimal to Binary” or “Binary to Decimal” depending on the direction of conversion you want.
Step 3: Output: See the converted result instantly in the output box.
Step 4: Click on the output box to copy the output.
Step 5: Reset: Click "Reset" to clear both the input and output fields.
Optional: Click "Sample Data" for a sample entry.
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Decimal to Binary Converter: FAQ
Decimal-to-binary conversion transforms base-10 numbers (used by humans) into base-2 numbers (used by computers). While decimal uses digits 0–9, binary only uses 0 and 1. Every number you interact with on a computer—whether it’s file size, memory address, or instruction set—is ultimately expressed in binary.
Why Is This Important?
Understanding decimal to binary conversion is crucial because:
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Computing Logic: CPUs execute binary machine code, not decimal.
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Networking: IP addresses and subnet masks use binary representation.
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Digital Electronics: Hardware logic gates operate on binary values.
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Security: Binary data plays a role in encryption, authentication, and hashing.
Without binary, digital systems would not be able to process numerical data.
Computers were designed to operate efficiently with binary:
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Binary (Base-2):
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First used in electronic computing due to its reliability with on/off (1/0) states.
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Powers modern computing architecture.
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Decimal (Base-10):
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Human-friendly but inefficient for digital circuits.
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Used in user interfaces and programming languages for readability.
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Octal and Hexadecimal:
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Serve as shorthand for binary, improving readability for large binary values (e.g., permissions in Unix).
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Decimal numbers are broken down into powers of two to convert them to binary.
Step-by-Step Conversion Process
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Divide the decimal number by 2.
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Record the remainder (0 or 1).
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Repeat the division with the quotient until it reaches 0.
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Reverse the remainders to get the binary result.
Example: Convert 13 to Binary
13 ÷ 2 = 6 remainder 1
6 ÷ 2 = 3 remainder 0
3 ÷ 2 = 1 remainder 1
1 ÷ 2 = 0 remainder 1
Binary = 1101
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Decimal 5 → Binary:
101
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Decimal 32 → Binary:
100000
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Decimal 255 → Binary:
11111111
You can also use bitwise shifts or built-in functions in programming languages for efficient conversion.
Programming:
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Bitwise operations, logic, and flags.
Computer Architecture:
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Memory addressing, opcode handling.
Networking:
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Calculating CIDR ranges, subnetting.
Security:
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Working with binary representations of hashes, certificates.
Education:
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Teaching number systems in computer science.
Improved Debugging: Easily interpret low-level machine output.
Efficient Memory Use: Understand bitwise data storage and alignment.
Digital Circuit Design: Fundamental for working with logic gates and flip-flops.
Technical Interviews: Often tested in computer science and engineering roles.
Python Example:
# Convert decimal to binary
number = 13
binary_result = bin(number)[2:]
print(binary_result) # Output: 1101
JavaScript Example:
// Convert decimal to binary
let number = 13;
let binaryResult = number.toString(2);
console.log(binaryResult); // Output: 1101
Command-Line Tools:
echo "obase=2; 13" | bc
# Output: 1101
Challenge |
Solution |
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Leading Zeros |
Pad binary values to fixed length (e.g., 8-bit, 16-bit) |
Handling Floating-Point Numbers | Use IEEE 754 representation or convert integer part only |
Use built-in libraries to avoid manual calculation errors | Can’t perform MFA (need alternative security) |