The BINARY phrase is specified for binary data items. Such items have a
decimal equivalent consisting of the decimal digits 0 through 9, plus a sign.
The amount of storage occupied by a binary item depends on the number of
decimal digits defined in its PICTURE clause:
- Digits in PICTURE Clause
- Storage Occupied
- 1 through 4
- 2 bytes
- 5 through 9
- 4 bytes
- 10 through 18
- 8 bytes
The leftmost bit of the storage area is the operational sign.