binäärimääriä

Binäärimääriä, or binary numbers, are a numeral system that uses only two symbols, typically 0 and 1. This is in contrast to the decimal system, which uses ten symbols (0-9). In the binary system, each digit represents a power of two, with the rightmost digit representing 2 to the power of 0 (which is 1), the next digit to the left representing 2 to the power of 1 (which is 2), and so on.

For example, the binary number 1011 can be converted to decimal as follows: (1 * 2^3) + (0 * 2^2) + (1 * 2^1) + (1 * 2^0) = 8 + 0 + 2 + 1 = 11.

Binary numbers are fundamental to digital computing. Computers use electrical signals that can be in one of two states, often represented as "on" or "off," which directly correspond to the binary digits 1 and 0. All data, from text and images to programs and instructions, is ultimately stored and processed by computers in binary form. The smallest unit of data in computing is a bit, which is a single binary digit. Multiple bits are grouped together to form bytes, which can represent more complex information. The simplicity and reliability of the two-state system make binary the ideal choice for digital electronic circuits.