NUMBER SYSTEMS

2. Negative Numbers and Subtraction

J.N. Coleman
Obviously, a computer needs to add and
subtract, and to represent -ve numbers.
Subtraction has a different table from
addition:
+ 0 1 - 0 1
0 0 1 0 0 1
1 1 10 1 11 0
carry borrow

However, having two sets of circuits is not

economical, so we use a different
method.
Imagine the mileometer on a new car:

000000
It drives 1 mile forwards:

000001

Then 2 miles backwards:

999999

So -1 is represented as 999999.
This is 10’s complement representation.
Don’t want separate add and subtract
circuits.
If negative numbers are represented as
complements, subtraction isn’t needed.
-1 999999
+ +2 + 000002
+1 000001
Normal method: even though Using complement: the
the operation is +, one value is operation is +, and it’s done by
-ve, so would normally have to addition
subtract
To subtract a number, take its
complement and add it:

+2 000002
- +1 + 999999
+1 000001
Both values are +ve, but we’re Using a complement, the subtraction
subtracting them so, again, would is instead done by addition
normally have to subtract

Using complements, in neither case did

we have to do a subtraction.
A quick way to complement a number (i.e.
negate it):
Subtract each digit from 9
0000001 becomes 999998
and add 1
999998 becomes 999999
Complementing a number twice comes
back to the original:
999999 becomes 000000 then 000001
Any problems?
How do we know whether 999999 really
means 999999 or -1?
If you have 6 digits, you have 106 values.
If you want +ve and -ve values, you only
have half as many (106 / 2) of each.
So look at first digit:
000001 999999
0 means a forward number: 9 means a complement (a backward
this really is +1 number), so this is -1
In binary, it’s the 2’s complement system.
Same ideas apply, now in base 2.
E.g. to complement 0011 (= 310)
Subtract each digit from 1 (i.e. invert it)
0011 becomes 1100
and add 1
1100 becomes 1101 (= -310)
Complementing back:
1101 becomes 0010 then 0011
How do we know whether 1101 really
means -3 or +13?
If you have 4 digits, you have 24 (= 1610)
values, so if you want +ve and -ve
values, you only have 8 of each.
Again, look at first digit:
0011 1101
0 means a forward number: 1 means a complement (a backward
this is +3 number), so this is -3
 Examples

0111 (710)
- 0011 (310)

Subtracting, so take
complement of
second value and
0111 (710)
then add it
+ 1101 (-310)
Ignore final carry
out when using
0100 (410)
complements
 0100 (410)
- 0111 (710)

Subtracting, so
take
0100 (410)
complement of
second value
and then add it
+ 1001 (-710)
1101
Result is -ve so complement it
to obtain its value
0011 (310)
1101 (-310)
 0100 (410)
- 1110 (-210)
Doesn’t matter
that second
value is -ve
already: use
0100 (410)
same procedure
+ 0010 (210)
0110 (610)
 Questions

FIRST: what answer are you expecting?

01001010
- 00011101

00010011
- 10111001
 Summary

Computers represent negative numbers in

2’s complement form.
To subtract a value they make it -ve by
complementing it, and then add it.
To complement a number, invert the bits
and add 1.
One of the commonest -ve numbers is
11111111