How To Do Calculations Of Binary Data
What is a bit? A bit is the smallest unit of data that can be used. It is a binary digit ( BI nary D Igit). There can be only 0 or 1. Nothing else… So if you write Veur 0, written in binary 0
… And if you want to write one, write in binary, 1. But if you wanted to write 2?
We’re bored… Well no, not that much. 2 is the figure immediately above one which is written with a 1 or 0. So 2 neu can not be written 2 or 3 or 4 or 5, or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9… But 10! Yes, 10 is the smallest number greater than 1 which contains only 0 or 1.
So we have:
0 = 0
1 = 1
2 = 10
and 3? how do we write? Well, 3, in binary, is the number immediately above 10, which is written with 1s and 0s. So: 11
3 = 11
Cons by 4… Can not be 12 or 13 or 20, or 30, not 50 or 80… but 100, which is immediately above the figure 11, which contains only 1 and 0.
4 = 100
And so on:
5 = 101
6 = 110
7 = 111
etc..
And this is how we consider the memory required to operate a computer: For bits. In fact, the memory may contain a number of BITS. And each digit requires a number of different bits. For example, 6 (110) need 3 bits to be written, whereas 2 (10) needs only two bits (1 and 0) to be written.
Go a little exercise to conclude: How many bits are they required to write (it is said to code):
– 12-bit needs _____
– 23-bit needs _____
– 32-bit needs _____
And when you’ve created your short list of binary digits from 1 to 32, look at this little feature:
32 in binary is written: ____________
(And 32 divided by 2 = 16)
16 in binary is written: ___________
(And 16 divided by 2 = 8)
8 in binary is written: ___________
(And 8 divided by 2 = 4)
4 in binary is written: ___________
8 in binary is written: ___________
(And 4 divided by 2 = 2)
2 in binary is written: ___________
(And 2 divided by 2 = 1)
1 written in binary: ___________
And so, without having to calculate it, you should be able to write in binary by simple deduction:
64: ________
128: ___________
256: ____________ (How strange: That is the number of available columns in Excel…)
and 512: ____________
Amazing, no?