Logic gate which checks if the input is a negative number and changes its output based on that I need to create a HDL which will use logic gates to demonstrate if something is a negative number in two's complement. The input is 8 bits, while the output is 1 bit, and if the input is a negative number then the output should be true, and in any other case, the output should be false.

I've noticed that all the negative numbers in two's complement start with a 1 in their binary notation, i.e the number -8 is written as 1000 in binary, -7 as 1001 and so on until 0, which is when it switches to 0000, 1 being 0001 and so on until +7.

I originally had the idea of using a Not gate for this, but i'm not entirely sure how it would work out. I tried something like:

Not(in=in[1], out=in[2]);
Not(in=in[2], out=in[3]);


etc but it didn't work. I also thought of using an Or gate, as if either of the inputs are true (negative number) then the output would also be true to signify a negative number, but if both of the inputs are false (not negative) then the output would also be false.

Any help?
You miss the obvious solution, just wire the MSB to output.