Binary Numbers
Binary numbers are a system of counting using only two digits: 0 and 1. Unlike the decimal system, which uses ten digits (0-9), binary represents values with combinations of these two digits. Each position in a binary number corresponds to a power of two, meaning that the farthest right digit represents 2^0 (1), the next represents 2^1 (2), then 2^2 (4), and so on. Computers use binary because they operate with two states—on and off—allowing efficient processing and storage of data. Ultimately, binary forms the foundational language of digital technology.
Additional Insights
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Binary numbers are a base-2 number system that uses only two digits: 0 and 1. This system is fundamental to computers, as they operate using these two states—off (0) and on (1). In binary, each digit represents a power of 2, similar to how decimal numbers (base 10) operate with powers of 10. For example, the binary number 1011 represents \(1 \times 2^3 + 0 \times 2^2 + 1 \times 2^1 + 1 \times 2^0\), which equals 11 in decimal. Understanding binary is crucial for understanding how computers process and store data.