The dec2oct() Function within Scilab

Within Scilab's suite of tools, the dec2oct() function stands out as a powerful utility designed to convert decimal numbers into their octal counterparts. Its usage is straightforward:

dec2oct(x,n)

Here, 'x' denotes the decimal number targeted for conversion—a requisite parameter.

When deployed, dec2oct() yields a string representation of the number in octal notation, or base 8.

Should you provide an array of numbers as the 'x' parameter, the function graciously returns an array of corresponding octal strings.

To illustrate, consider the command dec2oct(10)

dec2oct(10)

This produces the output "12", the octal equivalent of the decimal number 10.

ans=
"12"

Moreover, the versatility of dec2oct() extends to array processing.

Experiment by entering an array as the function's argument, such as dec2oct([8,9,10,11]):

dec2oct([8,9,10,11])

The outcome? An array where each decimal value has been adeptly transformed into octal.

ans=
"10" "11" "12" "13"

It's imperative to understand that dec2oct() outputs a string. For mathematical operations, a conversion back to a numeric format is necessary.

For instance, the expression dec2oct(10)+dec2oct(10) doesn't sum the numbers.

dec2oct(10)+dec2oct(10)

Rather, it merges the two strings, resulting in "12"+"12".

"1212"

To achieve the summation of two octal numbers, such as 12+12, with an octal output, the correct approach is:

dec2oct(oct2dec("12")+oct2dec("12"))

"24"

Here, the value "24" in octal notation translates to 20 in the decimal system.

For those seeking the inverse operation—converting an octal figure back to its decimal form—Scilab provides the equally efficient oct2dec() function.