0b1010001000

0b1010001000 is a binary literal used in programming to denote a base-2 number. The 0b prefix signals that the following digits are interpreted as binary rather than decimal or hexadecimal. The sequence 1010001000 contains ten bits, and it equals 648 in decimal. This value can be verified by summing powers of two: 2^9 + 2^7 + 2^3 = 512 + 128 + 8 = 648. In hexadecimal, the same bit pattern is 0x288.

When stored in a larger fixed-width integer, the binary pattern is typically extended with leading zeros. For example, in a 16-bit unsigned integer it would be represented as 0000001010001000, and in a 32-bit unsigned integer as 00000000000000001010001000. The actual bit values remain unchanged; the extra bits are simply unused or zero-filled depending on the width.

Context and usage: The 0b prefix is supported in several programming languages, including Python and modern JavaScript, and in some others with varying syntax support. Binary literals are convenient for expressing bit masks, flag sets, and other low-level constants without converting from another base. They are also used to illustrate bitwise operations, such as AND, OR, and shifts, in both documentation and code examples.

See also: binary numeral system, binary literals in programming languages, hexadecimal notation, decimal notation, bit mask.