Binary is a number system used by digital devices like computers, cd players, etc.

In Binary you can write just zeroes and ones; In other words, Binary has only 2 different numerals (0 and 1) to denote a value, unlike Decimal which has 10 numerals (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9).

Here is an example of a binary number: 10011100

If you separate the binary in columns like this, you will have your zeros and ones for our known normal numbers called decimal.


                        
If we would continue with the columns it would keep going like 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096 and etc. It always double. If you find it easier we can use this formula below to convert binary to decimal. Let's say we want to convert a 8 bit value 10011101 into a decimal value:



As you can see, we have placed the numbers 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 (powers of two) in reverse numerical order, and then written the binary value below.

To convert, you simply take a value from the top row wherever there is a 1 below, and then add the values together.

For instance, in our example we would have 128 + 16 + 8 + 4 + 1 = 157.

For a 16 bit value you would use the decimal values 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16384, 32768 (powers of two) for the conversion.

Bit is short for Binary Digit, and each numeral is classed as a bit. It is a 0 ou a 1, but you can't do much with a bit.

Byte is just a word to describe 8 bits, computers tipically operates in units of 8 or in powers of 2, but it is also pretty small and you can't listen too much music.

Kilo(byte) typically mean a thousand, but in the computers world it means 1024, because computers likes powers of two. (1024 is 2 to the 10th power) i.e.: Microsoft word file.

Mega(byte) typically mean million bytes. Here is where you usually have a music that you download like mp3 with 3 or 4Mb. i.e.: Music file mp3.

Giga(byte) meaning billion. i.e.: Videos, programs, hard-drive.

Tera(byte) mean trillion. ie.: Musics, videos.

The difference between 32bit cpu (computer) and 64bit cpu (computer) is that the computer can compute more data at once, it can literally consume twice as many bits at once.

I have posted a short video "Explaining Binary in 60 seconds" in Videos tab; If you would like to check it out clique here

If you still need more help understanding binary, feel free to drop me a line at renata@renaborges.com