Binary is a numerical system of two values, usually represented as 0 or 1, and is the fundamental building block of all computing systems. Binary is used in many different types of hardware and software, from computer processors to image processing and even artificial intelligence systems.
Binary code is a representation of data and instructions that can be read and understood by a computer. It consists of the two binary digits 0 and 1, representing false and true, or on and off. Each digit, known as a bit, is the smallest unit of data in computing and can exist either as a 1 (on) or as a 0 (off). The combination of eight 0’s and 1’s is known as a byte, and 8 bits make a byte.
In coding, binary code is written as a series of bits, each representing a single character. A group of eight bits is a byte, and a group of four bytes is a computer word. A group of eight bytes is a double word. Generally, 32 bits make up a word, and 64 bits make up a double word.
Binary can be used to represent numbers, letters, and even words or instructions. This is done by using various coding systems. For example, ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a commonly used coding system which translates binary into English. Unicode is another coding system which can be used; it is used widely in the internet and web pages.
Binary is important to computing because it gives computers the ability to store, process, and deliver information. As a result, all computers and most other types of computing devices have been built on a binary system. When you give a computer a command or request, it is interpreted by the computer as a series of 0s and 1s that it must interpret and action accordingly.
Thus, binary is the foundation of virtually all computing and computer related activities. Without it, information would not be able to be stored, processed, and transferred, making computers useless.
