INTRODUCTION

Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) is a binary coding format in which each of the
decimal digits (0-9) is expressed as a binary numeral; for example, in binary coded
decimal notation 12 is 0001 0010, as opposed to 1100 in pure binary. The purpose
of this project is to demonstrate the addition of two BCD numbers by using binary
adders and half adders connected by logic gates. This project will include both a
graphical representation of the circuits and an explanation of how they work.

BCD NUMBERS

The binary equivalents of the decimal numbers are:

0 = 0000

1 = 0001

2 = 0010

3 = 0011

4 = 0100

5 = 0101

6 = 0110

7 = 0111

8 = 1000

9 = 1001

In BCD, the binary patterns 1010 through 1111 do not represent valid BCD
numbers, and cannot be used.
 BINARY ADDERS AND HALF ADDERS
Binary adders and half adders are circuits designed to manipulate binary bits
to perform binary mathematics in a computer it is constructed by using XOR and
AND gates. Design Diagram and Block diagram is given below of Half Adder and Full
Adders.

FIGURE 1

A half adder is a combinational circuit which performs the addition of 2

binary bits. It has two inputs (two operand bits) and two outputs (a sum bit and a
carry-out bit).
 BINARY ADDERS AND FULL ADDERS

A full adder is a combinational circuit which performs the addition of 3 binary

bits. It has three inputs (two operand bits and a carry-in bit) and two outputs (a sum
bit and a carry-out bit). It is composed of two half adders

FIGURE 2
.

A
four bit
binary
adder is a

combination of four full adders. It is a combinational circuit that can add two 4-bit
binary numbers. This is a straight forward process. However, a BCD adder must
test for an invalid binary sequence. This can be accomplished by adding a
comparator circuit and a second adder. The comparator circuit tests for the
presence of a 1 in the most significant bit and the presence of a 1 in either of the
next to bits. The second adder consists of four full adder. Contingent on the
outputs of the comparator circuit, the second adder will add a binary six (0110) to
 the results of the original result. In the next diagram, a 4-bit adder will be
represented by a rectangle with eight inputs and five outputs.

If
the

results of the first adder are

0000, 0001 ,0010, 0011, 0100, 0101, 0110, 0111, 1000, 1001
Then the comparator circuit and the 3-bit adder have no effect and this result is
transmitted. However, if the results of the first adder are

1010, 1011, 1100, 1101, 1110, 1111

then the comparator circuit will catch these conditions and the 3-bit adder will add
0110 (Binary of Six ) to the number.

1010 1011 1100 1101 1110 1111

+0110 +0110 +0110 +0110 +0110

+0110

10000 10001 10010 10011 10100

10101

this has the logical result of adding 10 to the next BCD digit.

CONCLUSION

Although the binary addition of Binary Coded Decimal numbers is not as

straight forward as the binary addition of Base 2 numbers, it is possible. I have
explained and demonstrated half adders, full adders, 3-bit and 4-bit binary adders,
and comparators circuits. I have explained and demonstrated why the extra steps
used with BCD addition are necessary.