Binary is a number system that uses only two digits, 0 and 1, rather than the ten digits used in the decimal system. Each digit in a binary number represents a power of two. Most digital information is stored using binary numbers, which are longer than decimal numbers but can only use the digits 0 and 1. The document provides an example of converting the decimal number 37 to its binary equivalent of 100101 and vice versa. It also shows how binary addition and subtraction works through an example of converting 104 to its binary form of 1101000.
2. What is Binary?
• Binary, used to describe a placevalue number system, or a number
belonging to it, that uses 2 rather
than the more common decimal
system that uses 10 as its base.
Each digit in a binary number
represents a power of 2 and so can
only hold a 0 or a 1. The number 2
functions in binary the way 10
functions in decimal numbers.
3. • Since you can only count to 1
before needing another digit,
binary numbers are longer to write
out than decimal numbers. Most
digital information, such as that
stored on a computer’s hard drive,
is in binary form.
