Use the numeral system format to represent numbers using the conventions of numeral systems from base 2 to base 36. When you use the Base 2, 8, or 16 format, you can display negative values by preceding them with a minus sign or in two’s complement notation; negative values in all other bases are displayed using the minus sign.

To define a numeral system format:
  1. Select the cell or cells.

  2. Click Inspector in the toolbar, and then click the Table button.

  3. In the Table inspector, click Format.

  4. Choose Numeral System from the Cell Format pop-up menu.

  5. Use the Base field to specify the base value of the numerical system you want to use.

  6. Use the Places field to specify the total number of digits to display.

  7. If you selected Base 2, 8, or 16, select an option for displaying negative values.

    • Minus Sign:  
      Displays negative values with a leading minus sign.
    • Two’s-Complement:  
      Displays negative values using two’s-complement notation.

    Negative values in all the other numerical systems are always displayed using a leading minus sign.

The table below provides examples of how the numeral format is displayed in different cases.

In this numeral system
100 displays like this
–100 displays like this if Minus Sign is used
–100 displays like this if Two’s-Complement is used

Base 2

1100100

–1100100

10011100

Base 8

144

–144

634

Base 10

100

–100

–100

Base 16

64

–64

9C

To learn about other cell format types, see Formatting Table Cell Values for Display.

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