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Number systems are a way in which one can represent quantitative values. Certain number systems are used for certain applications.

For example, the decimal number system, also known as base-10, is our typical counting numbers used in daily math. This uses the numbers 0 through 9 to represent a given value: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

The prefix “bi” stands for two. This means that binary uses two numbers to count based on zeroes and ones. Computers use binary to store and manipulate data. Zeroes represents no flow of electricity, whereas one represents electricity being allowed to flow.

The binary number system, also known as base-2, is the numbers used by computers. This uses the numbers 0 and 1 to represent a given value: 000000, 000001, 000010, 000011, 000100, 000101, 000110, 000111, 001000, 001001, 001010 (These are equivalent to the values 0 through 10 in the decimal number system)

Computers will always convert the numbers from any number system into binary for the purposes of consistent computation, and convert them back into their original number system once finished with these computations. For example, say someone wanted perform the computation 3 + 2 in the decimal number system. A computer would convert these values into the binary values of 000011 and 000010, respectively, compute the binary value 000101 from these values, and convert this value back into the decimal value of 5.