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GATE 2014 EC (EC2) – Question 25

Digital Circuits · Number Representations · 1 mark · Numerical answer

How many bytes represent decimal 1856357 in packed BCD?

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Correct answer: 3.9 to 4.1

Explanation

Packed BCD uses4bits per decimal digit. The seven digits require7×4=28bits. Storage is in whole bytes, so ceil(28/8)=**4bytes**, leaving one unused nibble or a sign nibble depending on convention. Binary encoding of the entire integer would be a different representation.