Python program to convert decimal to binary number

Converting decimal numbers to binary is a fundamental programming task. Python provides both manual and built-in approaches to achieve this conversion.

Problem Statement

Given a decimal number, we need to convert it into its binary representation.

Using Recursive Approach

The recursive method divides the number by 2 repeatedly and prints the remainders in reverse order −

Algorithm

DecToBin(num):
    if num > 1:
        DecToBin(num // 2)
    print num % 2

Example

def DecimalToBinary(num):
    if num > 1:
        DecimalToBinary(num // 2)
    print(num % 2, end='')

# Test the function
dec_val = 35
print("Binary representation of", dec_val, "is: ", end='')
DecimalToBinary(dec_val)
Binary representation of 35 is: 100011

Using Built-in bin() Function

Python's bin() function provides a direct way to convert decimal to binary −

def decimalToBinary(n):
    return bin(n).replace("0b", "")

# Test the function
decimal_number = 35
binary_result = decimalToBinary(decimal_number)
print(f"Binary representation of {decimal_number} is: {binary_result}")
Binary representation of 35 is: 100011

Using format() Function

Another built-in approach uses the format() function with binary format specifier −

def decimalToBinaryFormat(n):
    return format(n, 'b')

# Test the function
decimal_number = 35
binary_result = decimalToBinaryFormat(decimal_number)
print(f"Binary representation of {decimal_number} is: {binary_result}")
Binary representation of 35 is: 100011

Comparison

Method Complexity Best For
Recursive O(log n) Understanding the algorithm
bin() function O(1) Quick conversion
format() function O(1) Clean, readable code

Conclusion

Use bin() or format() for efficient built-in conversion. The recursive approach helps understand the mathematical process of decimal-to-binary conversion.

Updated on: 2026-03-25T06:34:47+05:30

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