Introduction to Information Technology in Business
Information Technology: How It Works
Binary Information
Digital Information
In the previous lesson, Circuits & Switches, you saw that a computer is made of circuits
and that circuits are either ON or OFF. The transistor (a switch) is the main type of circuit control
in a computer and each transistor is CLOSED or OPEN. Therefore the two states of a circuit are
 ON when the transistor (switch) is CLOSED and
 OFF when the transistor (switch) is OPEN
This system of having only two states is called binary (from Latin binarius which means a
pair). The binary number system uses only these two states to represent numbers using 1 and 0 as
symbols for ON and OFF.
So the only information a computer actually uses is
a
.
In this system the smallest unit of digital information (one binary number) is called
which is short for
.
One bit by itself is not very useful so we use them in groups of
as
called a
.
We see information on a monitor because millions of bits of information are lit up
which is short for
.
Here is an example. On the left is a picture of a team of horses. On the right is the image
zoomed in so that you see the individual pixels.
Every image on a monitor is made
of pixels (picture elements)
Here is part of the same image
enlarged to see the pixels
In a black and white image, a pixel that is lit up represents a binary 1 (or ON).
A binary 0 displays as a pixel turned OFF. How does a monitor produce a
colour image?
BTT 1O1—Unit 1
Lesson 7: Digital Information
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Introduction to Information Technology in Business
Learning Activity
 Visit our class Webpage at http://www.rbvweb.net/
 Click on the BTT 1O1 link
 Under the heading
Introduction to Computer Hardware,
click this the link to The Journey Inside
 Select the Digital Information tab 
 Explore each of the lessons and complete these learning activities:
Digital Literacy: The Language of Machines
Computers contain millions of Click here to enter text.microscopic electronic switches that
turn on and off millions of times a second to create the computer experience you're having
right now.
What part of a circuit is a transistor? Choose an item.
(HINT: look back at the previous lesson: 1-6:Circuits and Switches)
Word Watch
Transistor:
click the word and copy the meaning here
Discover more about computer technology
by following these links 
BTT 1O1—Unit 1
Lesson 7: Digital Information
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Introduction to Information Technology in Business
Lesson 1: What Is Binary Code?
 What is binary code? Explain briefly in your own words:
Word Watch
Binary:
click the word and copy the meaning here
Lesson 2: A Bit of This and a Bit of That
 What is the only language a computer knows?
 What do you call one of these 0s or 1s?
Word Watch
Execute:
Bit:
BTT 1O1—Unit 1
Lesson 7: Digital Information
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Introduction to Information Technology in Business
Lesson 3: How Computers Work with Pictures
Picture this. A computer is made up of millions of electronic _______________ (transistors).
They're either ______ or ______, open or closed.
Word Watch
Pixel:
 Complete Activity 1: Work and Play With Pictures.
Show the teacher when you are finished
teacher’s initials
Lesson 4: Binary Numbers
How many symbols does binary have? __________
What are the symbols? ______________________
It is a Base ______ number system.
What is the name of our number system?
______________________________
How many symbols does this base ____ system have? _____
What are the symbols?
_________________________________________________________
Watch the animation at the bottom of the page and complete this table of the binary numbers:
Binary
Decimal
0000
0
5
0001
1
6
2
BTT 1O1—Unit 1
Binary
0111
Decimal
7
3
8
4
9
Lesson 7: Digital Information
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Introduction to Information Technology in Business
Lesson 4: Activity 1: Decimal and Binary Numbers
 Complete Activity 1: Decimal and Binary Numbers.
Use the Decimal to Binary Converter to convert these numbers:
Decimal
65
Binary
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
72
254
Optional Lesson 5: Adding Binary Numbers
 Read through this lesson on how binary numbers are added together and try Activity 1
Lesson 6: ASCII, An Alphabet For Computers
To make it easier for computers to communicate with each other, a standard language has
been created: ASCII which stands for
A ______________ S _______________ C____________ for I_______________ I______________
ASCII is
Activity 1: The Name Game
 Complete Activity 1: The Name Game. What is your name in ASCII?
BTT 1O1—Unit 1
Lesson 7: Digital Information
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