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A computer operates as a binary digital device - Edexcel - GCSE Computer Science - Question 7 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 7
A computer operates as a binary digital device. (a) Explain why binary is used to represent computer data. (b) 8-bit two's complement is used to represent the dena... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A computer operates as a binary digital device - Edexcel - GCSE Computer Science - Question 7 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Explain why binary is used to represent computer data.
Answer
Binary is the fundamental language of computers due to its simplicity and reliability. Each binary digit (bit) represents a state of either 0 or 1, which corresponds to electrical states such as off or on, respectively. This bi-state system allows for straightforward data processing and storage. Additionally, using binary reduces the complexity involved in error detection and correction, leading to more efficient computations.
Step 2
Step 3
Explain why it is not possible to apply two's complement to the 8-bit unsigned integer 1111 1101.
Answer
The reason two's complement cannot be applied to the 8-bit unsigned integer 1111 1101 is that this representation delineates a positive integer rather than a negative one. In two's complement, the most significant bit indicates the sign of the number. Since 1111 1101 represents 253 in unsigned form, which is greater than the maximum value for signed integers in 8 bits (127), the application of two's complement here would lead to an incorrect interpretation of the data.