A number system is a systematic way to represent numbers with symbolic characters and uses a base value to conveniently group numbers in compact form. The most common number system is decimal, which has a base value of 10, and a symbolic character set of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. However, there are other number systems, and they can be more efficient to use for a specific purpose. For example, because computers use Boolean logic to perform calculations and operations, they use the binary number system, which has a base value of 2.
Microsoft Office Excel has several functions that you can use to convert numbers to and from the following number systems:
Number system
Base value
Symbolic character set
Binary
2
0,1
Octal
8
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Decimal
10
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9
Hexadecimal
16
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F
Convert a binary number to decimal
To do this task, use the BIN2DEC function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=BIN2DEC(1100100)
Converts binary 1100100 to decimal (100)
=BIN2DEC(1111111111)
Converts binary 1111111111 to decimal (-1)
Convert a binary number to hexadecimal
To do this task, use the BIN2HEX function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=BIN2HEX(11111011, 4)
Converts binary 11111011 to hexadecimal with 4 characters (00FB)
=BIN2HEX(1110)
Converts binary 1110 to hexadecimal (E)
=BIN2HEX(1111111111)
Converts binary 1111111111 to hexadecimal (FFFFFFFFFF)
Convert a binary number to octal
To do this task, use the BIN2OCT function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=BIN2OCT(1001, 3)
Converts binary 1001 to octal with 3 characters (011)
=BIN2OCT(1100100)
Converts binary 1100100 to octal (144)
=BIN2OCT(1111111111)
Converts binary 1111111111 to octal (7777777777)
Converts a decimal number to binary
To do this task, use the DEC2BIN function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=DEC2BIN(9, 4)
Converts decimal 9 to binary with 4 characters (1001)
=DEC2BIN(-100)
Converts decimal -100 to binary (1110011100)
Convert a decimal number to hexadecimal
To do this task, use the DEC2HEX function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=DEC2HEX(100, 4)
Converts decimal 100 to hexadecimal with 4 characters (0064)
=DEC2HEX(-54)
Converts decimal -54 to hexadecimal (FFFFFFFFCA)
Convert a decimal number to octal
To do this task, use the DEC2OCT function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=DEC2OCT(58, 3)
Converts decimal 58 to octal (072)
=DEC2OCT(-100)
Converts decimal to octal (7777777634)
Convert a hexadecimal number to binary
To do this task, use the HEX2BIN function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=HEX2BIN("F", 8)
Converts hexadecimal F to binary, with 8 characters (00001111)
=HEX2BIN("B7")
Converts hexadecimal B7 to binary (10110111)
=HEX2BIN("FFFFFFFFFF")
Converts hexadecimal FFFFFFFFFF to binary (1111111111)
Convert a hexadecimal number to decimal
To do this task, use the HEX2DEC function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=HEX2DEC("A5")
Converts hexadecimal A5 to decimal (165)
=HEX2DEC("FFFFFFFF5B")
Converts hexadecimal FFFFFFFF5B to decimal (-165)
=HEX2DEC("3DA408B9")
Converts hexadecimal 3DA408B9 to decimal (1034160313)
Convert a hexadecimal number to octal
To do this task, use the HEX2OCT function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=HEX2OCT("F", 3)
Converts hexadecimal F to octal with 3 characters (017)
=HEX2OCT("3B4E")
Converts hexadecimal 3B4E to octal (35516)
=HEX2OCT("FFFFFFFF00")
Converts hexadecimal FFFFFFFF00 to octal (7777777400)
Convert an octal number to binary
To do this task, use the OCT2BIN function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=OCT2BIN(3, 3)
Converts octal 3 to binary with 3 characters (011)
=OCT2BIN(7777777000)
Converts octal 7777777000 to binary (1000000000)
Convert an octal number to decimal
To do this task, use the OCT2DEC function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=OCT2DEC(54)
Converts octal 54 to decimal (44)
=OCT2DEC(7777777533)
Converts octal 7777777533 to decimal (-165)
Convert an octal number to hexadecimal
To do this task, use the OCT2HEX function.
A
B
Formula
Description (Result)
=OCT2HEX(100, 4)
Converts octal number 100 to hexadecimal with 4 characters (0040)
=OCT2HEX(7777777533)
Converts octal number 7777777533 to hexadecimal (FFFFFFFF5B)
