Decimal to BCD Converter

Convert decimal to Binary Coded Decimal using digit splitting

Decimal Input
BCD Result
1001 0111 0101
3 nibbles (12 bits)
Hex: 0x975

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How Decimal to BCD Conversion Works

BCD encoding takes each decimal digit and represents it as a 4-bit binary number. For 975: 9→1001, 7→0111, 5→0101. This preserves decimal place values and makes it ideal for driving 7-segment displays, real-time clocks, and industrial controllers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between BCD and binary?
Binary represents the entire number at once (975 = 1111001111). BCD represents each digit separately (975 = 1001 0111 0101). BCD is easier to display but uses more bits.
When should I use BCD?
Use BCD for digital displays, real-time clocks (RTCs), financial calculators, and any application where decimal rounding precision matters and display hardware expects digit-by-digit values.
What's packed vs unpacked BCD?
Packed BCD stores two digits in one byte (e.g., 0x97 for 97). Unpacked BCD uses one byte per digit, typically with the digit in the low nibble. Our converter supports both.