Binary numbers and their applications
In this section, we will learn about the binary number system in detail along with its applications and importance in computer science. In particular, we will consider a brief history of binary, provide an explanation as to why they are so foundational to how computers work, and examine the link between binary numbers and Boolean algebra and its use in databases.
The modern binary number system, which is the basis for binary code, was invented by Gottfried Leibniz in 1689, which he described in his article Explication de l'Arithmétique Binaire (translated as "explanation of binary arithmetic").
Binary numbers are represented in a base-2 system. The only digits used to represent a binary number are "0" and "1." Each digit is called a bit. A binary string of eight bits can represent any of 256 (28) possible values.
A bit string is not the only kind of binary code; other systems that allow only two...
