2.4 Computational Logic

2.4 Computational Logic

1. Why is data represented in binary form?

   • Computer systems store and process data as binary digits (represented as 0s and 1s)
   • The flow of electricity down a single cable or through a switch can be represented in binary as a 1, whereas a cable or switch without electricity flowing through it can be represented as a 0.
   • As an example, an 8-bit binary number such as 01101101 represents the flow of electricity through a group of 8 wires or, if the data is stored in memory, the state of 8 individual transistors.

2. Transistors

   • Transistors are electrical components made from semiconductor materials that can act as electrically-controlled switches.
   • A common way to think of transistors is that they are like taps. When a tap is turned on, water coming into the tap is allowed to flow through the tap and to come out.
   • In a transistor, when the "base" input on a transistor has a small current flowing through it, the larger current entering the transistor from the "collector" can flow through to the the "emitter".

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