Select a category to see how binary numbers can be interpreted:
Binary: 10101010
Grayscale value: 170 (out of 255)
This binary number represents a medium gray pixel.
In 8-bit grayscale, this binary number translates to a decimal value between 0 (black) and 255 (white).
Each bit in the binary number represents a power of 2. This system allows 256 shades of gray to be represented with just 8 bits.
Binary (Green component): 10101010
RGB: (0, 170, 0)
This binary number represents the green component in this RGB color.
In the RGB color model, this value is being used for the green channel, while red and blue remain at 0.
24-bit color uses 8 bits each for red, green, and blue, allowing for 16,777,216 possible colors using just three bytes of data.
Binary: 10101010
ASCII character: ª
Decimal value: 170
This binary number represents a character in ASCII encoding.
ASCII uses 7 bits to represent 128 characters. Values above 127 fall into the extended ASCII range.
Extended ASCII, which uses all 8 bits, allows for 256 characters, including special symbols and characters from other languages.
ASCII, born in 1963, became computing's universal language. It uses 7 bits to represent 128 characters. The first 32 numbers (0-31) are control characters for behind-the-scenes tasks. The rest (32-127) are the visible characters you type. Hover over the control characters to learn their specific purposes.
By the 1980s, 128 characters weren't enough. Extended ASCII used an 8th bit to add 128 more characters (128-255). Numbers 128-159 are additional control characters. 160-255 brought in characters like é, ñ, and ╔═══╗ for international text and simple drawings. Hover over the control characters to see their purposes. Note that different systems may interpret these differently.
Binary: 10101010
Frequency: 440 Hz
This binary number could represent part of an audio waveform.
In digital audio, this might represent the amplitude of a sound wave at a specific moment.
8-bit audio uses values from 0 to 255 to represent sound wave amplitude. The pattern of bits affects the tone's frequency and timbre.