Binary Division - How to Divide Binary Numbers



Binary division is almost as easy to calculate as multiplying binary numbers, and involves our knowledge of binary multiplication. Be sure to review binary multiplication first.

Let's take for example the division of 1011 into 11.

            11   R=10
 11 )1011
          -11
           101
            -11
              10 <-- remainder, R

To check our answer, we first multiply our divisor 11 by our quotient 11. Then we add its' product to the remainder 10, and compare it to our dividend of 1011.

     11
  x 11
     11
+ 11  
 1001  <-- product of 11 and 11

 1001
 +  10
 1011  <-- sum of product and remainder

The sum is equal to our initial dividend, therefore our solution is correct.


To practice binary division, visit the Practice Exercises page.


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