Question

What are the limitations of some number representations and which are the better choices?

a. Overflow errors; binary representations
b. Underflow errors; hexadecimal representations
c. Underflow errors; binary representations
d. Overflow errors; hexadecimal representations

Answer 1

The limitations of some number representations include overflow errors and underflow errors. Hexadecimal representations are often preferred over binary representations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The limitations of some number representations include overflow errors and underflow errors.

Overflow errors occur when a number is too large to be represented using a particular number system or data type. For example, in binary representation, the maximum value that can be represented using 8 bits is 11111111, which is 255 in decimal. If we try to represent a number greater than 255, it will result in an overflow error.

Underflow errors, on the other hand, occur when a number is too small to be represented accurately. This can happen when using binary or hexadecimal representations. For example, in binary representation, if we try to represent a very small number that is close to zero, it may result in an underflow error.

In terms of better choices, hexadecimal representations are often preferred over binary representations because they allow for more compact and easier-to-read representations of numbers. Additionally, hexadecimal representations can also reduce the likelihood of underflow errors compared to binary representations.