Q. What is the impact of overflow for binary numbers?
An overflow is said to have happened when sum of two n digits number takes n+ 1 digits. This definition is perfectly applicable for both binary and decimal digits. What is the impact of overflow for binary numbers?
Well overflow results in errors during binary arithmetic as numbers are represented employing a fixed number of digits also known as the size of the number. Any value which results from computation should be less than maximum of the allowed value as per size of number. In case a result of computation surpasses maximum size then computer won't be able to represent number correctly or in other words number has overflowed. Each computer uses a limit for representing numbers for example in our illustrations we are employing 8 bit registers for calculating sum however what will happen if sum of two numbers can be accommodated in 9 bits? Where are we going to store 9th bit, the problem will be better understood by given illustration.