binäärne

Binäärne is an Estonian adjective meaning relating to two or consisting of two parts. In technical contexts it most often refers to the binary numeral system, base-2, and to two-valued logic. It contrasts with decimal (base-10) and other numeral bases.

In mathematics, binäärne describes binary relations (subsets of AxA) and binary operations (functions from A×A to A). It also appears in structures such as binary trees, and in the notion of binary representation, which expresses integers using bits 0 and 1; for example, 13 is 1101 in base-2.

In computing and digital electronics, binäärne underpins information representation. A bit is the smallest unit, with two states: 0 and 1. Bytes consist of 8 bits. Binary code underpins algorithms, data storage, and communication. Converting between binary and decimal or hexadecimal is routine, and boolean logic uses binary operators such as AND, OR, and NOT.

History and usage: The binary numeral system was developed and analyzed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in the 17th and 18th centuries, and its practical importance grew with the rise of digital computers in the 20th century. Today, the term binäärne appears in Estonian texts describing computers, logic, and information theory, reflecting its central role in modern computation and information processing.