Students – Binary Number Systems

Revising Binary Numbers

Use this generator to test your binary conversion skills.

Extension: try coding adenary to binary converter yourself – stuck? Click the button to see how we wrote this one!

Click Refresh to Get The Next Binary Number!


    function refreshBinary() { 

        var Dec = Math.floor(Math.random() * 255); 

  document.getElementById("Binary").innerHTML = Dec;

}

    function checkBinary() {

        var Dec = document.getElementById("Binary").innerHTML;

        var MSB = 128;

        var Bin = "";

        
        while (MSB >=1){

            if (Dec >= MSB) {

                Bin = Bin + "1";

                Dec = Dec - MSB;

            }

            else{

                Bin = Bin + "0";

            }

            MSB = MSB / 2;

        } 

        document.getElementById("Denary").innerHTML = Bin;

Why do computers represent numbers using binary?

Key Words

Bit, Nibble, Byte, Denary, Binary, Base, Base 2, Base 10 – make flash cards for these

Describe how you would convert from binary to denary.

What is the difference between the most significant bit and the least significant bit?

Match the term to the definition:

Base		A base 2 number system where only the digits 0 & 1 are used.
MSB		The number of unique digits within a number system.
Binary		Half a byte, or four bits.
Nibble		The largest number column in a binary number. In a byte, this is 128.

Why are powers of 2 used in binary?

What does 1 & 2 represent in a computer system?

Complete & explain your answer to the following exam question:

Download Scribbl.it Notes

The Binary Numbers Scribbl.it Notes provide a structured way for you to revise topic areas in a visual way. You don’t have to be an artist as it’s all been drawn out for you (or you can use this as inspiration to create your own!). Print the notes, then colour in areas of importance, add doodles and colour, then add more detail to the notes page being as creative as possible.

There are known benefits to using Scribbl.it Notes (whether structured like these, or independently created):