Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Digital Literacy Computer Basics Computer Basics Binary

I'm having a hard time comparing the ones and zeros to the Dewey Decimal System

I'm having a hard time understanding the complete correlation to the binary system to the Dewey Decimal System I understand the Dewey Decimal System because it's based on real numbers not ones and zeros

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,184 Points

The word "Decimal" is a clue that the number system is different. Anything "decimal" (like the common numbers we use every day) is based on 10 where "binary" is based on 2.

The numbers in one system can't be directly compared to the other, but you can convert them. For example, a book on Architecture might have a Dewey Decimal number of 721.625, but in binary it would be 1011010001.101.

Aren't you glad there's no such thing as the "Dewey Binary System"! :wink: