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Arithmetic operations

A number expressed in base or radix N consists in digits ranging from 0 to N-1. A valid octal (base-8) number can be for example, 6174. Number expressed in any base can be added or subtracted by following the same (usually unknown rules) as done for decimals operations.

Sum of Base-N numbers

The sum is performed digit by digit starting from right to left until the last digit is added. The rules are:

  • If the sum of all digits in the same position is greater or equal than the base, then the value of the base must be subtracted and a carry is generated.
  • Repeat until the sum is less than the base. The carry is increased by one each time the base is subtracted.
  • If a final carry is left after the last digit to the left, then it must be placed before the first number of the result.

Example: Add the hexadecimals 4FC + EB5. Recall the values of the letters: A=10, B=11, C=12, D=13, E=14, F=15.

  • Start by adding the rightmost digits: C+5. Using the decimal equivalent: C+5=12+5=17
  • Subtract 16. 17-16=1. A carry digit of 1 is generated.
  • Add the following digits including the carry: F+B+1=15+11+1=27
  • Subtract 16: 27-16=11 --> B, A carry of 1 is generated
  • Add the leftmost digits including the carry 4 + E + 1 = 4 + 14 + 1 = 19
  • Subtract 16: 19-16=3. The last carry digit is placed first. Result: 13B1

Subtraction of Base-N numbers

For the sum, the subtraction follows the same rules as for decimals.
Source: The Math Forum

            Suppose we want to subtract A8D2 - 3EAC (hexadecimal). We'll align our numbers:
            The 'h' means hexadecimal number

                   A  8  D  2  h
                 - 3  E  A  C  h
                   -------------

            Now in the ones place, we can't subtract C (12) from 2 so we borrow 1
            from the sixteens place. Since that has a place value (a "weight") of
            sixteen, we can exchange it for 16 ones. (This is kind of like
            changing a $16 bill into sixteen $1 bills.) This leaves us with 12
            sixteens (D = 13 minus the 1 we borrowed) and gives us 18 ones (2 plus
            the 16 we got from the borrow). We now subtract 18-12 = 6:

                                   (Note that I use decimal here. Some people
                        12 18       write these as Ch and 12h.)
                   A  8  \  \  h   (There was a D and a 2 under the '\'s)
                 - 3  E  A  C  h
                   -------------
                            6  h

            In the sixteens place, we don't need to borrow because we can subtract
            10 (A) from 12:

                        12 18
                   A  8  \  \  h
                 - 3  E  A  C  h
                   -------------
                         2  6  h

            In the 256's place, we again need to borrow. We'll borrow 1 from the
            4096's place and exchange it for sixteen 256's (one 4096 equals
            sixteen 256's). This leaves us 9 in the 4096's place (A = 10 minus the
            1 that we borrowed), and gives us 24 in the 256's place (8 plus the 16
            from the borrow). We then can subtract 24-14 = 10 = A. So we have:

                   9 24 12 18
                   \  \  \  \  h
                 - 3  E  A  C  h
                   -------------
                      A  2  6  h

            Finally, we subtract 9-3 = 6 in the 4096's place:

                   9 24 12 18
                   \  \  \  \  h
                 - 3  E  A  C  h
                   -------------
                   6  A  2  6  h

            Why did we get 16 from each borrow? Because each time, the next place
            value was 16 times as large. This is because hexadecimal is base-16.

            One final note: If the subtrahend (the bottom number) is larger than
            the minuend (the top number), flip the numbers around and make the
            final answer negative, just as you would in decimal.
        

The subtraction for other bases follow the same rules, taking into consideration that the borrow adds up 8 for octals and 2 for binaries.