how do computers know how to differentiate binary without there being spaces or separations?

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I know the jist of binary, but something that I have never understood is how it know where one “word” stops and another starts.

so if 9 is 1001 and 57 is 111001, how does the computer know that the “1001” in 111001 isn’t whatever 11 is and then the number 9, 1001? only having two digits, 1 and 0 seems like not enough to differentiate.

If you want to have the word “apple” written in binary, do you take the binary code of each letter and smoosh them together or is there a separate specific code for “apple”?

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6 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

You are thinking of it backwards. We translate binary into our numbers because it is easier for us to understand and read.

A computer sees on-on-on-off-off-on

It doesn’t care if its 3 and 9 or 57, it just has a series of switches which are on or off. We translate it into words like when we use words instead of telephone numbers, because it is easier for us to work with and remember.

Computers don’t need spaces or separation, they just need what switches are involved and whether they are on (1) or off (0).

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