Binary number
Storage
A number that can be represented using only two numeric symbols - 0 and 1. A number in base 2.
| Decimal Number | Binary Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 10 |
| 4 | 100 |
| 12 | 1100 |
| 100 | 1100100 |
| 1995 | 11111001011 |
Binary numbers are used by computers because they can easily be represented and stored by device hardware that utilizes switches, magnetic fields, or charge polarities that are normally in one of two states. The on or off, north or south, or positive or negative states can easily represent the 1s and 0s of a binary number, respectively.
Telecommunications
A number that is expressed in binary notation and is usually characterized by the arrangement of bits in sequence, with the understanding that successive bits are interpreted as coefficients of successive powers of the base 2.