How to use the DECIMAL function
What is the DECIMAL function?
The DECIMAL function converts a text representation of a number in a given base into a decimal number.
How can I convert a number in the decimal numeral system to any another numeral system?
The BASE function converts a number into a text representation with a given radix (base).
Function syntax: BASE(number, radix, [min_length])
What is the decimal numeral system?
The decimal system is the numbers we use every day: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 It is based on the radix (base) of 10, there are 10 digits: 0 to 9. The value of each digit depends on its position or place value.
What is a radix (base)?
The radix or base refers to the number of unique digits in numeral systems that represents the numbers. Common radices are 2 (binary), 8 (octal), 10 (decimal), 16 (hexadecimal).
Changing the radix changes the digit representations but the numeric values are equivalent. The radix determines the inventory of digits used to express values.
What is a text representation?
The BASE function takes numbers as input, however, the output is a text string. This limits Excel's capabilities, for example performing arithmetic calculations to the converted text value are not possible unless you convert the text string back to the decimal system.
What base conversion functions does Excel have?
These functions convert from the decimal system to the binary, octal and hexadecimal systems.
DEC2BIN | DEC2OCT | DEC2HEX
These functions convert from the binary system to the decimal, octal and hexadecimal systems.
BIN2DEC | BIN2OCT | BIN2HEX
These functions convert from the octal system to the binary, decimal and hexadecimal systems.
OCT2DEC | OCT2BIN | OCT2HEX
These functions convert from the hexadecimal system to the binary, octal and decimal systems.
HEX2BIN | HEX2DEC | HEX2OCT
These functions are located in the "Engineering" category.
System | Base | Digits | Uses |
Decimal | Base 10 | 0-9 | General everyday use |
Octal | Base 8 | 0-7 | Older computer systems |
Binary | Base 2 | 0,1 | Modern computer processing |
Hexadecimal | Base 16 | 0-9, A-F | Computer memory addresses |
Excel Function Syntax
DECIMAL(text, radix)
Arguments
text | Required. The text argument must be less than 256 characters. The Text argument can be alpha-numeric characters that are valid for the radix.  Excel supports a Text argument greater than or equal to 0 and less than 2^53. |
radix | Required. Radix must be greater than or equal to 2 (binary, or base 2) and less than or equal to 36 (base 36). A radix greater than 10 use the numeric values 0-9 and the letters A-Z as needed. For example, base 16 (hexadecimal) uses 0-9 and A-F, and base 36 uses 0-9 and A-Z. |
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Formula in cell D3:
Functions in 'Math and trigonometry' category
The DECIMAL function function is one of 73 functions in the 'Math and trigonometry' category.
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