In this article
DEC2OCT converts a decimal number to octal. Used for device codes, permission bits, memory addresses and number-system lessons.
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Syntax
=DEC2OCT(number, [places])| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
number |
Decimal number (as text or a number) |
places |
Pad with leading zeros to this length |
Examples
Example 1
=DEC2OCT(A2)Result: 10. See the worked example table below for more cases.
DEC2OCT in practice
Where you will use it
- Reading decimal values from device or network logs
- Teaching number systems
- Converting codes for systems that expect octal
Worked example
| Input | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | =DEC2OCT(A2) | 10 |
| 64 | =DEC2OCT(A3) | 100 |
| 511 | =DEC2OCT(A4) | 777 |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Input too long or invalid digits | #NUM!; check the digits allowed in the base |
| Negative results | Large inputs use two's complement (10 characters) |
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