1.1 Binary and Hexadecimal

Question 1

What is the binary number system?

Answer 1

A base-2 system using only 0 and 1. 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.

Question 2

What does MSB stand for in binary?

Answer 2

Most Significant Bit — the leftmost and highest-value bit.

Question 3

What is the denary number system?

Answer 3

Base-10 system (0–9) used in everyday life.

Question 4

What is the hexadecimal system?

Answer 4

Base-16 system using 0–9 and A–F (A = 10, F = 15).

Question 4

Why is hexadecimal used?

Answer 4

It’s shorter and easier to read than long binary numbers.
It is easier to program, debug and locate errors in data

Question 5

Advantages of hexadecimal over binary

Answer 5

• Hexadecimal is a shorter way of representing binary, so it takes up less space on
  the computer screen or piece of paper.
• Hexadecimal is easier for a programmer to read, write and understand.
• Hexadecimal is easier to debug and locate errors in data.

Question 6

MAC address

Answer 6

a unique address that is
given to a computer at the manufacturing stage that can be used to identify the computer.

Question 7

Register

Answer 7

a small component in a computer system that is used to temporarily store data.

Question 8

Analogue data

Answer 8

a continuous stream of data that is processed by humans.