Introduction
Binary Number System is the most important number system in the world of electronics and computing. To placed very simply, all binary numbers are expressed in terms of Bit. A bit is the smallest unit of a binary number that constitutes of only one number, 0 or 1. A 2-bit binary number has only 2 digits on it, likewise an 8- bit number has 8 digits on it. For example, the number 10011 is a 5-bit number.
Now, lets discuss counting in Binary number system. Binary number system has 2 digits in total. The procedure is similar to counting in decimal. Except in Binary, there are only two digits. Binary numbers hold the same value as its Decimal counterpart, however, there is a limitation on the maximum decimal value that can be represented by a specific number of bits. For example, a 4-bit number can be used to count up to decimal 15, a 3-bit number can be used to count up to decimal 7 etc. To calculate the maximum decimal value that can be represented by the specific number of bits, the formula on the diagram below is used.
For simplicity and ease of calculation and explanation, extreme ends of all binary numbers are given a name which are called MSB & LSB. The leftmost bit of a binary number is called MSB (Most Significant Bit). The rightmost bit of a binary number is called LSB (Least Significant Bit).
The best way to learn a new number system is by learning to count using the number system. The process of counting in Binary is as same as decimal. The diagram below summarizes the entire process.
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