Job

Hey, psst, would you like an intuitive explanation of binary and hexadecimal numbers? (and really, any number base as long as it's a positive whole number)

Because I may have something for you.

https://observablehq.com/@jobleonard/binary-counting-made-easy

Made with @observablehq

(I started working on this all the way back in 2019 and then completely forgot about about it for six years 🙈)

edit: just discovered that this was broken on mobile, should work now.

If you can count, you can understand binary and hexademical numbers

or: the data compression method every (literate) person on the planet uses every day. The first time I was introduced to binary and hexadecimal numbers I was struggling. The same when I had to learn about the "base" of numbers and changing "between" them. For me the problem was that it was explained purely through formulas, detached from something concrete to build an intuition on. This is my attempt at fixing that. Now, I'm not going to say that binary and hexadecimal numbers aren't hard to understand. The

Observable
May 16 at 1:13pmWeb
Show threadKarl AuerbachMay 17
@vanderZwan @observablehq If I remember correctly one can also express numbers using a negative base, like -2 in which the bit positions are 1, -2, 4, -8, 16, -32. Thus the number three would be 111 (+4 -2 +1)
Show threadJobMay 17
@karlauerbach @observablehq I vaguely remember seeing a youtube video about that too! And apparently non-integer bases work as well. But then you need to reach for equations again to explain it, I think
Show threadJames BrookeMay 17
@vanderZwan @observablehq
Hey,
@MLE_online
constructing a physical version of this would soo cool, right?
Show threadEmily VelascoMay 17
@jCarttarBrooke It would be. That's the kind of thing you could take to a maker faire
Show threadJames BrookeMay 17
@MLE_online
with an 3-row odometer style version and 3 seven segment LED rows too.
Show threadMarcus Marcius MarcellusMay 17
@vanderZwan @observablehq This is fantastic! An example of teaching, at its very best.