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GCSE Computer Science · key term
A base-2 number system using only the digits 0 and 1, with place values such as 1, 2, 4 and 8.
Used by OCR
Paper 1
A system for representing values using only two digits: 0 and 1.
Revise: Binary Data ConversionA computer cannot process these directly in the forms we see or hear. They must first be represented as patterns of binary digits, using only 0 and 1.
When explaining why computers use binary, link the hardware to the representation: transistors act as switches with two states, which can be represented by 0 and 1.
Saying only that ‘computers understand binary’ does not explain why. Give the two-state hardware reason.
Show your working: write the binary place values and show which ones you use.
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A base-2 number system that uses only the digits 0 and 1.
A number system using only the digits 0 and 1, used by computers to represent data.