Representations

What if I ask you to tell me any number, what would you say? Four? Nine? Fifteen? You might also ask a clarifying question like, “A number of what?” After all, a number isn’t just an abstract concept; it carries meaning. It can indicate an order, measure volume in liters, or express weight in kilograms. In fact, numbers are everywhere. We need them to describe the scale of things or problems we discuss. They make communication much easier.

My second question: how would you write down the number you just told me? Chances are, you’d use a numbering system you learned in school. This system is called Decimal, and it consists of the digits 0 through 9. We use it daily, whether filling out a tax form, stating the time for a meeting, or negotiating a salary after a successful job interview.

Here Comes the Machine

Everything was fine and the world was simple - until computing machines were invented. A digital machine, which every processor-based device is, can operate only on two values: 0, which represents false, and 1, which represents true. Given only these two states, how can a machine process Decimal numbers, which include more than just ones and zeroes? That’s where the Binary system comes in. A sequence of these two states, structured in uniform segments, can accurately represent values from other numbering systems. You will learn more about this in the next lesson.

Something for Us, Humans

Another interesting system is Hexadecimal (HEX). It’s especially useful when dealing with large numbers represented in Binary. To put it simply, HEX can compress 1111 1111 to FF. More on this in a dedicated article.

Summary

I have introduced three numbering systems you need to master. Below is a table showing how each system is represented with its dedicated font style. Our first lesson: always be consistent and as precise as possible. By distinguishing numbering systems visually, text becomes clearer and more specific.