The BASE function converts a decimal number into a text representation in another base. For example, base 2 for binary.
Parts of a BASE function
BASE(value, base, [min_length])
Part
Description
Notes
value
The number to convert into base.
- The value should be an integer greater than or equal to zero.
base
The base (or radix) to convert the value number into.
- The base should be an integer from 2 to 36.
min_length
(Optional) The minimum length of the text returned.
-
If the minimum length value is greater than the number of significant digits in the result, the result is left-padded with zeroes until the total number of digits reaches significant_digits.
Sample formulas
BASE(255, 16)
BASE(A2, 2)
BASE(4095, 16, 6)
Notes
- Non-integer numeric argument values are truncated to an integer.
- Make sure that any calculations using the result of the BASE function take into account that it may be in a non-decimal base. Results are silently converted by Google Sheets. For example, if cell A2 contains 1111 (the binary equivalent of the decimal value 31), and B2 contains a formula such as "=A2+9," the result will be 11120, which is incorrect in binary calculation.
Examples
This example converts the decimal number 255 to base 16 (hexadecimal):
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Formula | Result |
|
2
|
=BASE(255, 16) | FF |
This example converts the number in cell A2 (decimal value 21) to the base given in cell B2 (binary):
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Number | Base | Formula | Result |
|
2
|
21 | 2 | =BASE(A2, B2) | 10101 |
This example converts the decimal number 4095 to base 16 (hexadecimal) with a minimum length of 6 characters:
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Formula | Result |
|
2
|
=BASE(4095, 16, 6) | 000FFF |
Related functions
- DECIMAL: The DECIMAL function converts the text representation of a number in another base, to base 10 (decimal).
- BIN2DEC : The BIN2DEC function converts a signed binary number to decimal format.
- BIN2HEX : The BIN2HEX function converts a signed binary number to signed hexadecimal format.
- BIN2OCT : The BIN2OCT function converts a signed binary number to signed octal format.
- OCT2BIN : The OCT2BIN function converts a signed octal number to signed binary format.
- OCT2DEC : The OCT2DEC function converts a signed octal number to decimal format.
- OCT2HEX : The OCT2HEX function converts a signed octal number to signed hexadecimal format.
- DEC2BIN : The DEC2BIN function converts a decimal number to signed binary format.
- DEC2OCT : The DEC2OCT function converts a decimal number to signed octal format.
- DEC2HEX : The DEC2HEX function converts a decimal number to signed hexadecimal format.
- HEX2BIN : The HEX2BIN function converts a signed hexadecimal number to signed binary format.
- HEX2DEC : The HEX2DEC function converts a signed hexadecimal number to decimal format.
- HEX2OCT : The HEX2OCT function converts a signed hexadecimal number to signed octal format.
