signed binary representation
nounA way to write numbers in binary that uses a sign to show if the number is positive or negative.
In signed binary representation, the leftmost bit tells you whether the number is positive or negative.
SYNONYMS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A binary encoding where one bit is reserved as the sign bit and the remaining bits give the magnitude.
The sign-magnitude form is the simplest signed binary representation.
3. Any binary scheme, such as two's complement or ones' complement, that can express both positive and negative values.
Two's complement is the most common signed binary representation used in modern computers.
4. The way a computer stores an integer so that it can be either above or below zero.
The programmer checked the signed binary representation to see why the value became negative.