Free Octal to Decimal Converter

Octal to Decimal Converter

Free & Instant - Convert octal numbers (base 8) to decimal numbers (base 10) for Unix file permissions, legacy systems, and computing

Octal to Decimal Converter

Only digits 0-7 allowed

Octal (Base 8)
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Octal Number System

Octal uses digits 0-7, providing a compact representation primarily used in Unix file permissions and legacy computing systems.

Decimal (Base 10)
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Decimal Number System

Decimal uses digits 0-9 and is the standard number system for everyday mathematics, business calculations, and human-readable numbers.

Why Convert Octal to Decimal?

Unix File Permissions

Understand and calculate Unix file permissions where octal 755 means rwxr-xr-x, helping system administrators manage file access control.

Legacy System Analysis

Essential for working with older computer systems, mainframes, and analyzing output from legacy applications that use octal notation.

Educational Understanding

Helps students and professionals understand different number systems, positional notation, and mathematical relationships between bases.

Data Interpretation

Used for interpreting system logs, error codes, and converting octal values from various tools into understandable decimal format.

How It Works

1. Enter Octal

Input your octal number using only digits 0-7 in the converter field.

2. Calculate Powers

System multiplies each digit by its power of 8 and sums the results.

3. Get Decimal Result

Copy your decimal result for use in calculations or applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert octal to decimal manually?

Multiply each octal digit by its corresponding power of 8 and sum the results. For example, octal 755 = (7×8²) + (5×8¹) + (5×8⁰) = 448 + 40 + 5 = 493 decimal.

What digits are valid in octal numbers?

Octal numbers use only digits 0-7. If you see digits 8 or 9 in a number, it's not a valid octal number. Our converter will alert you if invalid digits are entered.

Why convert octal to decimal?

Converting octal to decimal is essential for understanding Unix file permissions (chmod values), legacy system outputs, and translating compact octal notation into human-readable decimal numbers.

How are Unix file permissions related to octal?

Unix permissions use 3-digit octal numbers where each digit represents read(4), write(2), execute(1) permissions. For example, octal 755 means rwxr-xr-x permissions, which equals decimal 493.

Is octal to decimal conversion always accurate?

Yes, octal to decimal conversion is mathematically exact with no precision loss. Both number systems represent the same integer values, just in different bases (8 vs 10).