diff --git a/ethereum.php b/ethereum.php
index 16901f7..1d59613 100755
--- a/ethereum.php
+++ b/ethereum.php
@@ -5,12 +5,17 @@
  *
  * See Ethereum API documentation for more information:
  * http://ethereum.gitbooks.io/frontier-guide/content/rpc.html
+ *
+ * >> require: bcmath
  */
 
 require_once(dirname(__FILE__).'/json-rpc.php');
 
 class Ethereum extends JSON_RPC
 {
+	const DO_DECODE_HEX    = true;
+	const NO_DECODE_HEX    = false;
+
 	private function ether_request($method, $params=array())
 	{
 		try 
@@ -24,16 +29,36 @@ private function ether_request($method, $params=array())
 		}
 	}
 	
-	private function decode_hex($input)
+	public static function decode_hex($input)
 	{
-		if(substr($input, 0, 2) == '0x')
+		if(substr($input, 0, 2) == '0x') {
 			$input = substr($input, 2);
-		
-		if(preg_match('/[a-f0-9]+/', $input))
-			return hexdec($input);
+		}
+
+		if(!preg_match('/[a-f0-9]+/', $input)) {
+            throw new Exception("invalid hex input");
+        }
 			
-		return $input;
+        $sum = "0";
+        $len = strlen($input);
+        for ($i = 0; $i < $len; $i++) {
+            $c = hexdec($input{$i});
+            $sum = bcadd(bcmul($sum, 16), $c);
+        }
+        return $sum;
 	}
+
+    public static function encode_hex($decimal)
+    {
+        $alphabet = '0123456789abcdef';
+        $hex = [];
+        $remain = $decimal;
+        do {
+            $hex[] = $alphabet{bcmod($remain, 16)};
+            $remain = bcdiv($remain, 16);
+        } while (bccomp($remain, 0) > 0);
+        return '0x' . strrev(implode("", $hex));
+    }
 	
 	function web3_clientVersion()
 	{
@@ -90,22 +115,22 @@ function eth_accounts()
 		return $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__);
 	}
 	
-	function eth_blockNumber($decode_hex=FALSE)
+	function eth_blockNumber($decode_hex=self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
 	{
 		$block = $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__);
 		
-		if($decode_hex)
-			$block = $this->decode_hex($block);
+		if($decode_hex == self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
+			$block = self::decode_hex($block);
 		
 		return $block;
 	}
 	
-	function eth_getBalance($address, $block='latest', $decode_hex=FALSE)
+	function eth_getBalance($address, $block='latest', $decode_hex=self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
 	{
 		$balance = $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($address, $block));
 		
-		if($decode_hex)
-			$balance = $this->decode_hex($balance);
+		if($decode_hex == self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
+			$balance = self::decode_hex($balance);
 		
 		return $balance;
 	}
@@ -115,24 +140,34 @@ function eth_getStorageAt($address, $at, $block='latest')
 		return $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($address, $at, $block));
 	}
 	
-	function eth_getTransactionCount($address, $block='latest', $decode_hex=FALSE)
+	function eth_getTransactionCount($address, $block='latest', $decode_hex=self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
 	{
 		$count = $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($address, $block));
         
-        if($decode_hex)
-            $count = $this->decode_hex($count);
+        if($decode_hex == self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
+            $count = self::decode_hex($count);
             
         return $count;   
 	}
 	
-	function eth_getBlockTransactionCountByHash($tx_hash)
+	function eth_getBlockTransactionCountByHash($tx_hash, $decode_hex=self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
 	{
-		return $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($tx_hash));
+		$count = $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($tx_hash));
+
+        if ($decode_hex == self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
+            $count = self::decode_hex($count);
+
+        return $count;
 	}
 	
-	function eth_getBlockTransactionCountByNumber($tx='latest')
+	function eth_getBlockTransactionCountByNumber($tx='latest', $decode_hex=self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
 	{
-		return $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($tx));
+		$count = $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($tx));
+
+        if ($decode_hex == self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
+            $count = self::decode_hex($count);
+
+        return $count;
 	}
 	
 	function eth_getUncleCountByBlockHash($block_hash)
@@ -198,6 +233,9 @@ function eth_getBlockByHash($hash, $full_tx=TRUE)
 	
 	function eth_getBlockByNumber($block='latest', $full_tx=TRUE)
 	{
+        if (is_numeric($block)) {
+            $block = self::encode_hex($block);
+        }
 		return $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($block, $full_tx));
 	}
 	
@@ -251,7 +289,7 @@ function eth_compileSerpent($code)
 		return $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, array($code));
 	}
 	
-	function eth_newFilter($filter, $decode_hex=FALSE)
+	function eth_newFilter($filter, $decode_hex=self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
 	{
 		if(!is_a($filter, 'Ethereum_Filter'))
 		{
@@ -261,29 +299,29 @@ function eth_newFilter($filter, $decode_hex=FALSE)
 		{
 			$id = $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__, $filter->toArray());
 			
-			if($decode_hex)
-				$id = $this->decode_hex($id);
+			if($decode_hex == self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
+				$id = self::decode_hex($id);
 			
 			return $id;
 		}
 	}
 	
-	function eth_newBlockFilter($decode_hex=FALSE)
+	function eth_newBlockFilter($decode_hex=self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
 	{
 		$id = $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__);
 		
-		if($decode_hex)
-			$id = $this->decode_hex($id);
+		if($decode_hex == self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
+			$id = self::decode_hex($id);
 		
 		return $id;
 	}
 	
-	function eth_newPendingTransactionFilter($decode_hex=FALSE)
+	function eth_newPendingTransactionFilter($decode_hex=self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
 	{
 		$id = $this->ether_request(__FUNCTION__);
 		
-		if($decode_hex)
-			$id = $this->decode_hex($id);
+		if($decode_hex == self::DO_DECODE_HEX)
+			$id = self::decode_hex($id);
 		
 		return $id;
 	}
@@ -497,4 +535,4 @@ function toArray()
 			)
 		);
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/test/example.php b/test/example.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38b80a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/example.php
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+<?php
+ini_set('display_errors',1);
+ini_set('display_startup_errors',1);
+error_reporting(E_ALL);
+require_once(dirname(__DIR__) . '/ethereum.php');
+
+$eth = new Ethereum('127.0.0.1', 8545);
+
+function xlog($x, $prefix = '')
+{
+    $s = var_export($x, true);
+    printf("%s%s\n", $prefix ? $prefix . ': ' : '', $s);
+}
+
+xlog($eth->web3_clientVersion(), 'version');
+xlog($eth->web3_sha3('0x68656c6c6f20776f726c64'), 'sha3');
+
+$coinbase = $eth->eth_coinbase();
+xlog($coinbase, 'coinbase');
+
+$accounts = $eth->eth_accounts();
+xlog($accounts, 'accounts');
+
+$balNum = $eth->eth_getBalance($accounts[0], 'latest');
+xlog($balNum, 'balance');
+		
+$balHex = $eth->eth_getBalance($accounts[0], 'latest', Ethereum::NO_DECODE_HEX);
+xlog($balHex, 'balance in hex');
+
+$blkNum = $eth->eth_blockNumber();
+xlog($blkNum, 'block number');
+
+$blkHex = $eth->eth_blockNumber(Ethereum::NO_DECODE_HEX);
+xlog($blkHex, 'block number in hex');
+
+$block = $eth->eth_getBlockByNumber(6); #can be 'latest'
+xlog($block, 'block');
+xlog(Ethereum::decode_hex($block->number), 'block number');
+xlog(Ethereum::decode_hex($block->gasLimit), 'gas limit');
+
+$blockByHash = $eth->eth_getBlockByHash($block->hash);
+$txCountByHash = $eth->eth_getBlockTransactionCountByHash($block->hash);
+xlog($txCountByHash, 'txCountByHash');
+
+$txCountByNum = $eth->eth_getBlockTransactionCountByNumber($block->number);
+xlog($txCountByNum, 'txCountByNum');
+
+$arr_tx = $block->transactions;
+if (count($arr_tx) > 0) {
+    $tx = $arr_tx[0];
+    $txByHash = $eth->eth_getTransactionByHash($tx->hash);
+    xlog($txByHash, 'tx');
+} else {
+    xlog('no transactions');
+}
+
diff --git a/test/test.php b/test/test.php
index 3247fd1..4afae26 100755
--- a/test/test.php
+++ b/test/test.php
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function NetVersion()
 	
 	function IsListening()
 	{
-		$this->assertEqual($this->eth->net_listening(), TRUE);
+		$this->assertEqual($this->eth->net_listening(), Ethereum::DO_DECODE_HEX);
 	}
 	
 	function HasPeers()
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ function Accounts()
 	
 	function BlockNumber()
 	{
-		$blkNum = $this->eth->eth_blockNumber(TRUE);
+		$blkNum = $this->eth->eth_blockNumber(Ethereum::DO_DECODE_HEX);
 		$blkHex = $this->eth->eth_blockNumber();
 		
 		$this->assertIsNumeric($blkNum);
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ function BlockNumber()
 	function AccountBalance()
 	{
 		$balHex = $this->eth->eth_getBalance($this->account, 'latest');
-		$balNum = $this->eth->eth_getBalance($this->account, 'latest', TRUE);
+		$balNum = $this->eth->eth_getBalance($this->account, 'latest', Ethereum::DO_DECODE_HEX);
 		
 		$this->assertIsNumeric($balNum);
 		$this->assertIsHex($balHex);
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ function AccountStorage()
 	function AddressTransactionCount()
 	{
 		$countHex = $this->eth->eth_getTransactionCount($this->account, 'latest');
-		$countNum = $this->eth->eth_getTransactionCount($this->account, 'latest', TRUE);
+		$countNum = $this->eth->eth_getTransactionCount($this->account, 'latest', Ethereum::DO_DECODE_HEX);
 		
 		$this->assertIsNumeric($countNum);
 		$this->assertIsHex($countHex);
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ function GetBlocks()
 	function GetTransactions()
 	{
 		// Get a recent block with some transactions
-		$blockNum = $this->eth->eth_blockNumber(TRUE);
+		$blockNum = $this->eth->eth_blockNumber(Ethereum::DO_DECODE_HEX);
 		do
 		{
 			$block = $this->eth->eth_getBlockByNumber('0x'.dechex(--$blockNum));
@@ -419,4 +419,4 @@ function errorHandler($errorNumber, $message, $file, $line, $context)
 }
 
 foreach(array("TestNetFunctions", "TestEthereumFunctions", "TestWhisperFunctions") as $c)
-	$t = new $c();
\ No newline at end of file
+	$t = new $c();