Should programmers be able to convert from decimal to binary?
When I'm interviewing candidates for a development position I typically write a number down and ask them to convert it from decimal to binary. Of course this is a very minor factor in the interview, but I find it interesting to see their responses. It amazes that onle one person out of the last twenty five or thirty candidates I've interviewed has been able to convert from decimal 45 to binary 00101101. (He also proudly did the hex conversion to 2D without missing a beat.) Most of these candidates have CS degrees and 5+ years of experience, but from the looks on their faces when asked this question, they either never learned or have forgotten one of the most fundamental concepts of computing.
Not only is it fundamental, it's also a simple concept. My 9 and 10 year old sons can do these conversions. They can do all combinations of decimal/binary/hex conversions. They think the binary system is the coolest because they can count to 1024 on their fingers. Thankfully I waited until after they were 4 to teach them. I could see it now...“Hi Sweetie....how old are you?“ and them showing a binary 4 on their fingers!
So, would the developers you work with be able to do these conversions (without a calculator) or would they go completely blank like my job candidates have been doing lately?