Communications
Revolution 		Communications
Networks 		Optical
Fibres 		Photonic
Devices 		Future of
Communications 		Credits

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The Binary System
Computers rely on the binary system to handle information and to carry out mathematical functions.
Binary arithmetic is based on the use of two numbers:
  • 0
  • 1

    The values 0 or 1 form a bit (binary digit) of information: the smallest piece of information.
    In the computer circuitry:
  • 0 represents a low voltage state: the voltage is off
  • 1 represents a high voltage state: the voltage is on

    • Computers, which ultimately are machines (although they seem to have a mind of their own!), deal with voltage states rather than numbers.
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