The binary notation a method of representing numbers that employ a base (radix) of 2; therefore, there are only two possible values (0 and 1). Binary notation differs from the notation systems people prefer; these have bases of 10 (decimal numbers), 12 (measurements in feet and inches), or 60 (minutes and hours).
Binary notation shares one characteristic in common with more familiar notation systems: it is a positional notation system with place values. In decimal notation, each position represents an order of magnitude (1 =10° 10 = 10 ‘, 100=102, and so on). The same is true of decimal notation, except that the orders of magnitude are squares of 2, not 10 (0 = 2″, 10 [2 in decimal] = 2′, 100 [4 in decimal] = 22, 1000 [8 in decimal] = 23, and so on). Binary notation is preferred for computers for precision and economy. See base, base 2, and decimal notation.