Coding Systems

Following are different coding systems used.

1. BCD - Binary Coded Decimal
2. ASCII - American Standards Code for Information Interchange
3. EBCDIC - Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code
4. Unicode

BCD - Binary Coded Decimal

 It’s a 4 bit code system
 One digit is represented by 4 bits. (24 = 16) Symbols or characters can be represented.
 used in the early stages of computing
 It is a fast and efficient system to convert the decimal number into binary numbers.
 This is used only to represent decimal numbers

Example

Indicating number 3710 in BCD codes.

3 7
0011 0111
Used
3710 = 00110111BCD

Exercise:
1) 302
2) 321
3) 11
4) 15
5) 644
6) 2136

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 ASCII - American Standards Code for Information Interchange
 It’s a 7 bit code system
 27 = 128 characters can be represented.
 Is used to represent the text
 ASCII is design and approved by ANSI (American National Standard Institute).
Example:

(Use the ASCII Table in Book (Page No. 102)

Exercise:
1) If ‘A’ character is represented as 1000001 in ASCII system, what is the ASCII code for letter

‘F’?

2) If 10000102 represents “B” in ASCII code, what is the ASCII code for letter “L”?

3) Write down the ASCII code of below text in binary numbers.

a. ICT

b. PUT

c. LAB

EBCDIC - Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code

 It’s a 8 bit code system
 28 = 256 characters can be represented.
 This system was used in IBM main frame computers.
 There are different EBCDIC codes for Capital and Simple letters

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 Unicode
 It’s a 16 bit code system
 216 = 65536 characters can be represented.
 Unicode system can be used to represent all the languages of the world ( Such as Sinhala,
Tamil, Japanese and Chinese letters, and special symbols and picture symbols)
 Unicode is largely used in designing websites and newspapers.
Exercise:
1.
Coding System Number of Bits
BCD A-16
ASCII B-07
EBCDIC C-04
Unicode D-08
What is the correct answer that matches with coding system and the Number of Bits?
1. CBDA 2. BCDA 3. CBAD 4. BDCA
2. Valid BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) is.
1. 0011 2. 1111 3. 1110 4. 1010
3. If the character „D‟ is represented as 10001002 in ASCII code, what is the equivalent ASCII
code for character „B‟?
1. 1000001 2. 1000010 3. 1010101 4. 1000111
4. The Number of bits used in EBCDIC cording system is…
1. 256 bits 2. 16 bits 3. 8 bits 4. 4 bits
5. If ASCII value of character A is 65, what is the value of character “C”.
1. 64 2. 67 3. 66 4. 68
6. What is the equal BCD value of 4010
1. 101000 2. 0100 0000 3. 1000 00000 4. 01000
7. If ‘Z’ represent as 10110102 in ASCII. Which is equal ASCII for ‘U’?
1. 10101012 2. 11101102 3. 10101102 4. 10101102
8. What is the Decimal Number that equal to 10010001BCD
1. 80 2. 145 3. 91 4. 18
9. What is the coding system that used in IBM Mainframe computers?
1. BCD 2. ASCII 3. EBCDIC 4. Unicode
10. What is the incorrect statement about Unicode?
1. It can be used to represent images and text apart from texts.
2. It is use in modern operating systems
3. Can be used to represent any language.
4. It is only support for western European languages

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