Home » Python

Python | Binary numbers representation (assign, conversion, bitwise operations)

Binary numbers representation in Python: Here, we will learn how to work with the binary numbers, how to assign, conversion and bitwise operations on binary numbers?
Submitted by IncludeHelp, on September 05, 2018

Assign binary value to the variable

To assign binary values to the variable, we use prefix 0b or 0B with the binary value.

Example:

# assign number as binary 
# prefix 0b 
num = 0b111101
print "num: ", num

# prefix 0B 
num = 0B111101
print "num: ", num

Output

num:  61
num:  61

Convert a decimal value to binary

To convert a decimal value to the binary, we use bin() Method, which is an inbuilt method in the Python.

Example: Python program, that returns a binary value of given decimal value

num = 61
# print num in decimal and binary format 
print "num (decimal) : ", num
print "num (binary ) : ", bin (num)

Output

num (decimal) :  61
num (binary ) :  0b111101

Convert binary value to decimal

When, we print the binary value – there is no need to convert it; print prints the value in decimal format, like

print 0b111101 - its output will be 61.

Still, we can use int() method to convert it into decimal by defining base of the number system.

Example:

# print by using binary value
print  0b111101
# print by converting to decimal
print int ('0b111101 ', 2)

Output

61
61

Bitwise OR (|) and AND (&) Operations

Here is the bitwise OR (|) and Bitwise AND (&) Operations:

Example:

a = 0b111101
b = 0b000010

# print value in binary 
print "values in binary..."
print "a: ",bin (a)
print "b: ",bin (b)

# bitwise OR and AND operations
print "(a|b) : ", bin (a|b)
print "(a&b) : ", bin (a&b)

# print values in decimal 
print "values in decimal..."
print "a: ",a 
print "b: ",b 

# bitwise OR and AND operations 
print "(a|b) : ", int (bin (a|b),2)
print "(a&b) : ", int (bin (a&b),2)

Output

values in binary...
a:  0b111101
b:  0b10
(a|b) :  0b111111
(a&b) :  0b0
values in decimal...
a:  61
b:  2
(a|b) :  63
(a&b) :  0