Converting decimal numbers to their binary equivalents is a common task in programming. JavaScript offers efficient ways to perform this conversion, and this article explores two primary methods.
Table of Contents
Manual Binary Conversion in JavaScript
Understanding the underlying algorithm enhances your programming skills. This section demonstrates a custom function to convert a decimal number to its binary representation. The algorithm repeatedly divides the number by 2, recording the remainders to build the binary string.
function decimalToBinary(decimal) {
if (decimal === 0) return "0";
let binary = "";
let temp = decimal;
while (temp > 0) {
binary = (temp % 2) + binary;
temp = Math.floor(temp / 2);
}
return binary;
}
// Examples
console.log(decimalToBinary(10)); // Output: 1010
console.log(decimalToBinary(255)); // Output: 11111111
console.log(decimalToBinary(0)); // Output: 0
The function handles the case of 0 and iteratively divides the input until the quotient is 0. Each remainder (0 or 1) is prepended to the binary string, building the binary representation.
Efficient Binary Conversion with toString(2)
JavaScript’s built-in toString(2) method provides a concise and efficient solution. This method directly converts a number to its binary string representation.
function decimalToBinaryFast(decimal) {
return decimal.toString(2);
}
// Examples
console.log(decimalToBinaryFast(10)); // Output: 1010
console.log(decimalToBinaryFast(255)); // Output: 11111111
console.log(decimalToBinaryFast(0)); // Output: 0
The toString(2) method takes the radix (base) as an argument. Setting it to 2 specifies binary conversion. This approach is significantly faster and more readable than the manual method.
In conclusion, while understanding the manual conversion process is valuable for learning, the built-in toString(2) method is the preferred approach for its efficiency and readability in most practical scenarios.