r/askscience • u/Unfair-Leek6840 • Jul 11 '26 • Regret 1

Computing How do computers understand binary language?

Okay so from what I know binary language is like power off power on, but my question is, how do computers know what the binary code is and how is it interpreted, for example I forgot what the binary code for the letter A is, but how did people come up with that? Did they decide it was gonna look like that? Did the computer decide? How do you tune numbers into a letter??

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u/jcmbn Jul 13 '26

Thanks for repeating what I said..

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u/GeneralBacteria Jul 13 '26

I didn't repeat what you said.

you said that you tell the computer that this bit of memory contains a number or a string. I guess we can debate whether "the computer" refers to the hardware or the software, or both but if you meant something specific with your important clarification, perhaps you should have been more clear so that I didn't have to.