Binary Number System
What is the Binary Number System?
The binary number system is a way of representing numbers using only two digits: 0 and 1. It is the
foundation of all modern computing because digital devices (like computers) use electrical signals that can
only be ON (1) or OFF (0).
Base of Binary
• The binary system is a base-2 number system.
• Each digit in a binary number is called a bit.
• The rightmost bit is the least significant bit (LSB), and the leftmost is the most significant bit
(MSB).
Example:
Binary: 1011
Place: 8 4 2 1
So, 1011 in binary = 8 + 0 + 2 + 1 = 11 in decimal.
Converting Between Number Systems
1. Binary → Decimal Multiply each digit by 2 raised to its position power and add them up. Example:
1101 (binary) = (1 × 2³) + (1 × 2²) + (0 × 2¹) + (1 × 2⁰) = 8 + 4 + 0 + 1 = 13 (decimal).
2. Decimal → Binary Repeatedly divide the number by 2, writing down the remainders, then read from
bottom to top. Example: 19 → divide by 2
3. 19 ÷ 2 = 9 remainder 1
4. 9 ÷ 2 = 4 remainder 1
5. 4 ÷ 2 = 2 remainder 0
6. 2 ÷ 2 = 1 remainder 0
7. 1 ÷ 2 = 0 remainder 1 Reading from bottom: 10011 (binary).
Binary Arithmetic
1. Addition
1
0 + 0 = 0
0 + 1 = 1
1 + 0 = 1
1 + 1 = 10 (which is 0 with a carry of 1)
Example: 1011 + 110 =
1011
+ 0110
------
10001 (decimal 17)
1. Subtraction
0 - 0 = 0
1 - 0 = 1
1 - 1 = 0
0 - 1 = 1 (borrow 1)
2. Multiplication works like decimal multiplication, but only with 0s and 1s.
Uses of Binary
• Computers & Electronics – Representing data and instructions.
• Networking – IP addresses, data transfer.
• Digital media – Images, sound, and video stored in binary form.
• Logic gates – Basic building blocks of computer circuits.
Summary
• Binary is a base-2 system using only 0 and 1.
• It is essential for computers because they use two states (ON/OFF).
• Numbers can be converted between binary and decimal easily.
• Binary arithmetic follows simple rules and is the basis of computer operations.
