<P> As most computers deal with data in 8 - bit bytes, it is possible to use one of the following methods to encode a BCD number: </P> <Ul> <Li> Unpacked: Each numeral is encoded into one byte, with four bits representing the numeral and the remaining bits having no significance . </Li> <Li> Packed: Two numerals are encoded into a single byte, with one numeral in the least significant nibble (bits 0 through 3) and the other numeral in the most significant nibble (bits 4 through 7). </Li> </Ul> <Li> Unpacked: Each numeral is encoded into one byte, with four bits representing the numeral and the remaining bits having no significance . </Li> <Li> Packed: Two numerals are encoded into a single byte, with one numeral in the least significant nibble (bits 0 through 3) and the other numeral in the most significant nibble (bits 4 through 7). </Li>

Explain why bcd might be a useful way to represent numbers