Binary Beads
Learn how to write your name in binary with beads! Binary is a language made up of only 0s and 1s that computers use to store data and make calculations.
Standards included in this lesson: NGSS MS-PS4-3, CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.C.6, CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NBT.B.4
Materials
Beads in 2 different colors/shapes
A third color/shape of bead (optional)
String
Scissors
Paper and pen or pencil
Procedure
Step 1
Write your name and then write the binary codes for each letter using the Binary Code Sheet.
Step 2
Choose one color/shape of beads for the 1s and one color/shape for the 0s.
Step 3
Cut your string long enough to be a necklace and tie a few knots at the end so the beads don’t fall off.
Step 4
Start adding on beads in the same pattern as the binary codes you wrote down.
Step 5
If you have a third color/shape of bead, you can put it in between each letter to separate the letters.
Step 6
When you are done, tie your necklace together.
Science Explanation
Kindergarten - 2nd Grade . . .
- Computers don’t understand words and numbers the way humans do. Computers have to translate information into binary so they can understand it. Binary is a language made up of only 1s and 0s that computers use to store data. NGSS MS-PS4-3
- What kind of data other than words and numbers do you think computers store using binary?
- Since binary uses only 0s and 1s, do you think it will ever run out of storage to keep storing new data and information? (Answer: this has actually happened in the past with a system used for managing IP addresses. IP addresses are numbers that are assigned to each device that is connected to a computer network. IPv4, or Internet Protocol version 4, has a 32 bit system, however, this was not enough for every device to have its own IP address. This is why we switched to IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) which allows a 128 bit system, so every device will be able to have its own IP address, which is stored in computers using binary.)
3rd Grade - 5th Grade . . .
- Computers use binary to store all sorts of data and information. This could include anything from text to colors to even sounds. NGSS MS-PS4-3
- Can you think of any types of data or information that a computer wouldn’t be able to store using binary? (Answer: there are indeed some situations when computers can’t store certain amounts of data with binary. This can either result in an overflow error, when there aren’t enough binary digits to represent the data, or a roundoff error in which a computer can’t represent the whole value of something so it is rounded to a smaller value.)
- A single binary digit can also represent True (1) or False (0). This is called boolean. Boolean can also be used when something has two possible values, like a light switch that can only be either on or off. Why do you think computers use boolean, or a single binary digit of either a 1 or a 0 to represent True or False instead of just the words “True” or “False”?
Math Extensions
Kindergarten and 1st Grade . . .
- Count how many beads are needed for each letter in your name. Do you notice anything similar or different about the number of beads needed to represent one letter? (Answer: every binary letter is written in a combination of eight 0s and 1s, this is called a byte.) CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.C.6
6th - 8th Grade . . .
- Hexadecimal is another type of base system that is different from binary.
- The difference is that binary uses a base 2 system, whereas hexadecimal uses base 16. This means that binary uses two different symbols, 0s and 1s to represent things. Hexadecimal represents things using the numbers 0-9 and the letters A-F, so 16 different symbols total.
- If you’ve ever counted from 0 to 9, then you’ve used base 10! Humans use a different number system called base 10, or decimal, which is the most common number system used. It is called decimal because the digit's value in a number is determined by where it is in relation to the decimal point, or its place value. The difference between base 10 and the other two systems mentioned above is the number of digits used to represent values. Base 10 uses the numbers 0-9 to represent values.
- A number base is the number of digits or combination of symbols that a counting system uses to represent numbers
- Why do you think humans use base 10 most often and not binary or hexadecimal? (Answer: humans have 10 fingers so it is only natural to count in tens.)
- Computers use binary while programmers often use hexadecimal to simplify binary and make it easier to understand.
- Converting from binary to decimal may seem complicated but it only requires some simple math CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NBT.B.4
- These number systems can be used to represent just about anything. However, there are a few exceptions like the number pi which can’t be represented because it is an irrational number.
Written by Erin Wang Inspired by: Learning at Home