3. Understanding Overflow in Signed and Unsigned Arithmetic
The chapter delves into the intricacies of signed and unsigned arithmetic and how various flags, such as the overflow, carry, and parity flags, are set or reset during computations. It explains how these flags relate to the validity of the arithmetic result based on the signed or unsigned nature of the operands. Comprehensive examples illustrate situations where overflow occurs and the implications when adding numbers of different signs and magnitudes.
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Sections
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What we have learnt
- Understanding how to handle signed and unsigned arithmetic and the significance of flags.
- The importance of context in interpreting overflow and carry flags during operations.
- Identifying how incorrect assumptions about number representations can lead to invalid results.
Key Concepts
- -- Signed Arithmetic
- A system of arithmetic where numbers can be positive or negative, represented in formats like 2's complement.
- -- Unsigned Arithmetic
- A type of arithmetic that only represents non-negative integers, ignoring sign bits.
- -- Overflow Flag
- A flag that indicates when an arithmetic operation has produced a result outside the representable range for signed arithmetic.
- -- Carry Flag
- A flag that indicates whether an arithmetic operation resulted in a carry out of the most significant bit position, relevant in unsigned arithmetic.
- -- Parity Flag
- A flag indicating whether the number of set bits (1's) in the result is even or odd.
Additional Learning Materials
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.