Why do computers use binary

The good news is that the reasons why engineers and scientists use the binary number system for computers are easily understandable. After all, you can easily take text today and convert into binary online.

Used by computers and some other electronic devices, the binary system is based on two symbols: 0 and 1. This indicates the turning on or off an electrical signal or a base 2 exponent. This is probably a bit confusing for you, but the good news is that this concept is explained in detail here. We finally come to the million-dollar question: why do computers use binary numbers?

Nevertheless, we will try our best to come up with answers that sound logical and support the use of binary numbers by computers. To present numerical data in our daily life, we use the decimal number systems. Instead, computers represent numbers by using the lowest base number system used by us, which is two. This is the binary number system. Computers use voltages and since voltages changes often, no specific voltage is set for each number in the decimal system.

For this reason, binary is measured as a two-state system i. Also, to keep calculations simple and convert into binary online , computers use the binary number system.

But, thanks to the binary system, only four rules are required by the computers for calculations. Last but not the least, a major reason computers use the binary system is that the two-state system is the number system best suited to the optical and magnetic storage components of the computer. If you take only a quick glance at both, you will immediately assume that the binary system takes up more space than the decimal system.

The reason many people assume that the binary system takes more space than the decimal system is because of the way the former is written on the computer screen. You can always decrease the number of digits used for representing a number by increasing the base, but it is simply impossible to create a digital circuit that uses anything other than two as base to operate.

So, ready to convert into binary online? With the help of switches, you can encode numbers into binary format. Every computer is made up of many electronic components. That is why a basic knowledge of electronics is needed to understand how and why binary numbers are used in computers. A computer is built with many connections and components, which are used to transfer and store data, as well as communicate with other components. Most of that storing, transferring, and communicating happens with digital electronics.

In electronics, a voltage level or current flow is a way to represent a value. For example, 5V volts or 0. The makers of electronic devices could, of course, assign any meaning that they want to different voltage values. You would end up with 0. Here are four somewhat overlapping important reasons for using binary:.

These characteristics of binary were realized by Claude Shannon, a mathematician at Bell Telephone Laboratories. His paper A Mathematical Theory of Communication is the foundation of information theory and much of computer science. Our regular counting system uses units, tens, hundreds, and thousands to represent the extra lines of digits. The binary system uses bits, twos, fours, eights, sixteens, and so on. Thus, binary numbers are usually organized in at least four digits or eight digits, depending on how big the number is.

But, aside from needing more digits to express much smaller numbers e. The main reason the binary number system is used in computing is that it is simple. All they really have available to work with are switches and electrical signals, either on or off. To encode instructions or store values using switches - which can only be either off or on - the binary system is your obvious choice. Computers use transistors to act as electronic switches.

A small amount of current going into the transistor can generate a much higher output current: the smaller current switches on the higher current.

This is a fundamental explanation of how microchips work. Values are stored in binary using these switches by setting them on 1 or off 0. One switch is equivalent to one bit, and so a bit also represents the smallest amount of information it is possible to configure. Eight switches - i.

Because each switch represents a line of digits in the binary counting system, eight switches represent any value between 0 and Instructions are made up of strings of these bits, which the relevant hardware can read.

A counting system that uses more numbers would, arguably, allow for more values to be stored using much less space.