Interpret Hexadecimal Dump in Computer Science

In summary: You are to interpret the hexadecimal values according to the sequence required. The first part of the dump (starting at 0000) is for the storage of 5 consecutive ASCII-encoded characters, after that is one unsigned 16-bit integer is stored, after that one two's complement 16-bit integer is stored, etc. Interpret the hexadecimal values starting at location 0000 for the sequence of values listed.
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OK i have this question that i do not understand at all. please help if you can.

The hexadecimal dump from part of a computer's memory is as follows:

0000: 4265 6769 6EFA 47FE B087 0086 3253 7A29
0010: C800 E000 0000

The dump is made up of rows of groups of four hexadecimal characters. Each row
contains up to nine 16-bit groups. The first group of a row (terminated by a colon)
is an address and defines the first location into which the following groups are to
be loaded. For example, the first group in the second row is $0010. The second group
is $C800 which is the contents of location $0010. The next group, $E000, is the
contents of $0012 and so on. The 22 bytes of data represent the following sequence
of items:

a. five consecutive ASCII-encoded characters
b. one unsigned 16-bit integer
c. one two's complement 16-bit integer
d. one unsigned 16-bit fraction
e. one 6-digit natural BCD integer


Interpret the hexadecimal dump and convert it into the items above. For example,
convert the floating point numbers to decimal form.


and here's alittle help from the teacher "The hexadecimal values represent a dump of memory. You are to interpret the hexadecimal values according to the sequence required. The first part of the dump (starting at 0000) is for the storage of 5 consecutive ASCII-encoded characters, after that is one unsigned 16-bit integer is stored, after that one two's complement 16-bit integer is stored, etc. Interpret the hexadecimal values starting at location 0000 for the sequence of values listed."

am i suppose to convert '47FE' to "a. five consecutive ASCII-encoded characters" and 'B087' to "b. one unsigned 16-bit integer" etc...?
 
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  • #2
http://www.ee.uAlberta.ca/~cockburn/ee380/winter1999/midtermsolns.html is a similar solved problem.

Mark
 
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  • #3
the solution was helpful, but i need an explanation because i am very confused.


The hexadecimal dump from part of a computer's memory is as follows:

0000: 4265 6769 6EFA 47FE B087 0086 3253 7A29
0010: C800 E000 0000

please help me with part (a) to get me started.
"a. five consecutive ASCII-encoded characters"

am i suppose to convert 47FE to ASCII?so would it be like...
47 = G
FE = ? not on table,hmm... i am so lost
 
  • #4
ASCII characters are eights bits apiece, and the first five eight-bit values are 42 65 67 69 6E.

Mark
 
  • #5
ahhh, i get it. thanks alot
 

What is a hexadecimal dump?

A hexadecimal dump is a display of the contents of a computer's memory in hexadecimal notation. It is often used by programmers to debug and analyze the data stored in a computer's memory.

Why is hexadecimal used in computer science?

Hexadecimal is used in computer science because it is a more compact way to represent binary data. Each hexadecimal digit represents 4 bits, which makes it easier to read and manipulate compared to binary or decimal notation.

How do you interpret a hexadecimal dump?

To interpret a hexadecimal dump, you need to understand the structure of the data and the format in which it is stored. Each row of the dump represents a specific memory address, and each column represents a byte of data. By looking at the values in each column, you can determine the data type, such as numbers, letters, or symbols.

What can a hexadecimal dump be used for?

A hexadecimal dump can be used for various purposes, such as debugging software, analyzing memory usage, and identifying data corruption. It can also be helpful in reverse engineering and understanding how a program or system works.

How can you convert a hexadecimal dump to other data formats?

To convert a hexadecimal dump to other data formats, you can use a programming language or online converter tools. For example, you can use the int() function in Python to convert a hexadecimal value to decimal or bin() to convert it to binary. There are also various online tools available that can convert hexadecimal to decimal, binary, ASCII, and other formats.

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