Binary long division: Divide 1100010 (binary) by 0101 (binary 5). What is the decimal remainder of the division?

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Binary division mirrors decimal long division but uses base-2 arithmetic. Understanding remainders is useful for modulus operations, checksums, and cyclic redundancy computations.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Dividend: 1100010₂.
  • Divisor: 0101₂ (which equals 5₁₀).
  • Asked: decimal value of the remainder.


Concept / Approach:
You can either perform binary long division directly or convert to decimal to quickly find the remainder, since modulo is base-independent for exact integer values: remainder(98, 5) = 98 mod 5.


Step-by-Step Solution:

Convert dividend: 1100010₂ = 64 + 32 + 2 = 98₁₀.Convert divisor: 0101₂ = 5₁₀.Compute remainder: 98 mod 5 = 5*19 = 95; 98 – 95 = 3.Therefore, remainder = 3 (decimal).


Verification / Alternative check:
Binary long division also yields a remainder of 0011₂, which is 3₁₀. Either path confirms the same result, validating the conversion and arithmetic.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • 2, 4, 6: Not equal to 98 mod 5; these would be correct only for different dividends.


Common Pitfalls:
Misreading the dividend bits (especially leading zeros) or miscalculating place values when converting to decimal. Always double-check binary weights (…32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1).


Final Answer:
3

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