Binary is a numerical system used by digital devices including computers, pocket calculators and cd players.

The information in these systems is stored and processed using binary values.

A binary value is a sequence of 1s and 0s, which relate to either on and off electrical signals, differing light pulses, or differing magnetic states within a system.

Binary systems can only have 2 states, on and off, unlike analogue systems which can have varying states. These 1s and 0s are commonly referred to as a bit (Binary Digit).

Mathematically binary is Base 2 unlike our counting system (decimal) which is Base 10.

For more on binary see our guide to Binary Numbers in our courses section.

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