We can subtract one binary number from another by using the
standard techniques adapted for decimal numbers (subtraction of each bit
pair, right to left, "borrowing" as needed from bits to the left). However,
if we can leverage the already familiar (and easier) technique of binary
addition to subtract, that would be better. As we just learned, we can
represent negative binary numbers by using the "two's complement" method and
a negative place-weight bit. Here, we'll use those negative binary numbers
to subtract through addition. Here's a sample problem:
Subtraction: 710 - 510 Addition equivalent: 710 + (-510)
If all we need to do is represent seven and negative five in binary
(two's complemented) form, all we need is three bits plus the
negative-weight bit:
positive seven |
= |
01112 |
negative five |
= |
10112 |
Now, let's add them together:
1111 <--- Carry bits |
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|
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Discard extra bit |
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Answer = 00102 |
Since we've already defined our number bit field as three bits plus the
negative-weight bit, the fifth bit in the answer (1) will be discarded to
give us a result of 00102, or positive two, which is the correct
answer.
Another way to understand why we discard that extra bit is to remember
that the leftmost bit of the lower number possesses a negative weight, in
this case equal to negative eight. When we add these two binary numbers
together, what we're actually doing with the MSBs is subtracting the lower
number's MSB from the upper number's MSB. In subtraction, one never
"carries" a digit or bit on to the next left place-weight.
Let's try another example, this time with larger numbers. If we want to
add -2510 to 1810, we must first decide how large our
binary bit field must be. To represent the largest (absolute value) number
in our problem, which is twenty-five, we need at least five bits, plus a
sixth bit for the negative-weight bit. Let's start by representing positive
twenty-five, then finding the two's complement and putting it all together
into one numeration:
+2510 = 0110012 (showing all six
bits) |
One's complement of 110012 = 1001102
|
One's complement + 1 = two's complement = 1001112
|
-2510 = 1001112 |
Essentially, we're representing negative twenty-five by using the
negative-weight (sixth) bit with a value of negative thirty-two, plus
positive seven (binary 1112).
Now, let's represent positive eighteen in binary form, showing all six
bits:
1810= 0100102 |
|
Now, let's add them together and see what we get: |
|
11 <--- Carry bits |
100111 |
+ 010010 |
-------- |
111001 |
Since there were no "extra" bits on the left, there are no bits to
discard. The leftmost bit on the answer is a 1, which means that the answer
is negative, in two's complement form, as it should be. Converting the
answer to decimal form by summing all the bits times their respective weight
values, we get:
(1 x -3210) + (1 x 1610) + (1 x 810) + (1 x 110) = -710
Indeed -710 is the proper sum of -2510 and 1810. |