Binary is the foundation of all digital logic. It uses only two digits—0 and 1—each representing an “off” or “on” state. Every piece of data your computer stores, every signal your processor sends, and every image you see on a screen ultimately reduces to these two values.

To convert from decimal (base-10) to binary (base-2), start with your number and repeatedly divide by two, recording the remainders. Reading those remainders from bottom to top gives the binary equivalent. For example, the number 13 in binary is 1101—which equals 8 + 4 + 1.

Converting back is just as easy: each binary digit represents a power of two. Multiply each “1” by its positional value and sum the results. This process forms the backbone of all modern computing—everything from simple calculators to quantum processors still relies on this pattern of logic.

Once you learn to “see” binary, you’ll start noticing it everywhere—time, data, encryption, even art. The Binary Clock is a playful example of how elegant this language can be: precise, rhythmic, and endlessly interpretable.