To convert a number from octal (base-8) to binary (base-2), you can follow a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
### Understanding the Basics
1. **Octal System**: This system uses digits from 0 to 7. Each digit represents three binary digits because \(2^3 = 8\). Thus, each octal digit corresponds exactly to a three-digit binary number.
2. **Binary System**: This system uses only two digits, 0 and 1.
### Conversion Steps
#### 1. Convert Each Octal Digit to Binary
Each octal digit can be directly converted to a three-digit binary number. Here's a conversion table for quick reference:
| Octal Digit | Binary Equivalent |
|-------------|--------------------|
| 0 | 000 |
| 1 | 001 |
| 2 | 010 |
| 3 | 011 |
| 4 | 100 |
| 5 | 101 |
| 6 | 110 |
| 7 | 111 |
#### 2. Apply the Conversion
For each digit in the octal number, replace it with its three-digit binary equivalent. For example, if you have an octal number like 357:
- Convert `3` to binary: `011`
- Convert `5` to binary: `101`
- Convert `7` to binary: `111`
#### 3. Combine the Binary Strings
Combine all the binary strings obtained from the conversion of each octal digit. For the octal number 357, you get:
- `011` (for 3)
- `101` (for 5)
- `111` (for 7)
Putting it all together, you get: `011101111`.
### Example Conversion
Let's go through an example:
**Convert octal 247 to binary.**
1. **Convert Each Digit**:
- 2 in octal is `010` in binary.
- 4 in octal is `100` in binary.
- 7 in octal is `111` in binary.
2. **Combine the Binary Strings**:
- For octal 247, you combine these binary numbers: `010100111`.
So, octal 247 converts to binary 010100111.
### Tips
- Always ensure that each octal digit is converted to exactly three binary digits.
- For longer octal numbers, apply the same process digit by digit.
This method is effective and eliminates the need for intermediate base conversions by leveraging the direct relationship between octal and binary systems.