A tool used to perform arithmetic operations on signed binary numbers. It accepts binary numbers represented in various signed formats, such as sign-magnitude, one’s complement, or two’s complement, and produces the result of addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division, also in a signed binary format. For instance, if provided with the two’s complement representations of -5 (1011) and +3 (0011), it can compute their sum, resulting in -2 (1110) in two’s complement.
The capability to manipulate signed binary representations is crucial in digital systems and computer architecture. Its implementation simplifies the design of arithmetic logic units (ALUs) within processors, enabling the efficient execution of numerical computations. Historically, the development of reliable methods for representing and processing negative numbers in binary form was a significant advancement, allowing for more versatile and powerful computing devices.
