Binaarandmeid

Binaarandmeid, often referred to as binary data, is information represented in the binary numeral system. This system uses only two distinct symbols, typically 0 and 1, to encode all data. In computing, these two symbols are fundamental as they correspond to the two states of an electronic switch: off (0) and on (1).

The smallest unit of binary data is a bit. Bits are grouped together to form larger units. A group of eight bits is called a byte, which is a common unit for storing characters, numbers, and other basic data types. Larger units like kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and terabytes are multiples of bytes, representing increasingly larger amounts of data.

Binary data is the underlying language of all digital devices. When you save a document, view an image, or listen to music on a computer or smartphone, you are interacting with binary representations of that information. These binary sequences are then interpreted by the device's hardware and software to display images, play sounds, or perform calculations. The process of converting information into binary form is called encoding, and converting it back is called decoding. This fundamental representation is crucial for the operation of virtually all modern technology.