1.1 · Lesson 1 of 6
Binary number system
Syllabus 1.1.1Syllabus 1.1.2
What this lesson covers
- Explain why computers use binary for all data
- Convert between denary, binary and hexadecimal (up to 16-bit)
Key vocabulary
- Number system
- A way of representing numbers using a set of digits, e.g. denary, binary and hexadecimal.
- Denary
- The base 10 number system that people use every day, with the digits 0 to 9. Also called decimal.
- Binary
- The base 2 number system, which uses only the digits 0 and 1.
- Base
- The number of different digits a number system uses, e.g. binary is base 2.
- Bit
- A single binary digit: a 1 or a 0. Short for binary digit.
- Byte
- A group of 8 bits.
- Place value
- The value of a column in a number. In binary these are powers of 2: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and so on.
- Transistor
- A tiny electronic switch inside a computer that can only be on (1) or off (0).
Check your learning
- Quick check: 4 questions
- Key vocabulary test: 8 terms
- Activity 1: Binary ↔ denary · 8 questions
- Activity 2: Smallest to largest · drag and drop
- Activity 3: Binary quiz · 8 questions