Binary data Binary data Binary data is data whose unit can take on only two possible states, traditionally labeled as 0 and 1 in accordance with the binary numeral system and Boolean algebra. Binary data occurs in many different technical and scientific fields, where it can be called by different names: A discrete variable that can take only one state contains zero information, and is the next natural number after 1. That is why the bit, a variable with only two possible values, is a standard primary unit of information. A collection of bits may have states: see binary number for details.
Skew binary number system with formula_8 1s is equal to the binary number formula_9 minus formula_8. Let formula_11 represents the digit formula_12 repeated formula_13 times. The skew binary number of the form formula_14 with formula_8 1s is equal to the binary number formula_16 minus formula_8. Similarly to the preceding section, the binary number formula_18 of the form formula_7 with formula_8 1s equals the skew binary number formula_21 plus formula_8. Note that since addition is not defined, adding formula_8 corresponds to incrementing the number formula_8 times. However, formula_8 is bounded by the logarithm of formula_18 and incrementation takes constant time. Hence transforming a binary number