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Daksh Ranjan Srivastava
Daksh Ranjan Srivastava

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HOW COMPUTERS THINK IN 1s AND 0s ?

When you type on your laptop, stream a video, or even play a game, it might feel like the computer understands you. But beneath the colorful screens and apps, every action boils down to something surprisingly simple: a series of 1s and 0s, known as binary code.

WHY 1s AND 0s ?

Computers are electronic machines that run on electricity. Electricity has two states: on and off. To represent this, computers use 1 for “on” and 0 for “off.” This binary system is the foundation of all digital communication.

Think of it like a light bulb:
• If the bulb is on, we call it 1.
• If the bulb is off, we call it 0.

By combining many such switches, computers can represent complex information.

From Binary to Meaning

At first, binary may look meaningless. But imagine this sequence:
01001000 01001001

To us, it’s just numbers. To a computer, each group of eight digits (called a byte) represents a character. In this case, the two bytes spell HI in text.

So, with enough 1s and 0s, a computer can store words, images, music, and even entire movies.

The Logic Behind It

Computers don’t just store data; they make decisions using logic gates. These gates take in 1s and 0s and output results based on rules like AND, OR, and NOT. For example:
• AND gate: Both inputs must be 1 to give 1.
• OR gate: If at least one input is 1, the output is 1.

By combining millions (or billions) of these gates, computers can solve problems, process data, and run software.

Simple Diagram: How Computers Process Binary
Input (1s and 0s) → Logic Gates → Processor → Output (Text, Images, Sound)

Why It Matters !

Understanding binary helps us appreciate how much power comes from simplicity. Just two symbols—1 and 0—drive the modern digital world. The smartphone in your pocket, the AI chatbot you talk to, or the spacecraft exploring Mars all rely on this fundamental language.

Conclusion !

Computers may seem like magic, but their “thoughts” are really streams of 1s and 0s flowing through tiny circuits. It’s the clever arrangement of these binary signals that turns raw electricity into something intelligent, powerful, and essential in our daily lives.

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