Mathematics and Computers Computers not only operate on principles of mathematics, but are very useful in the often

complex and time-consuming tasks mathematicians and scientists are required to perform. The operations and seemingly limitless abilities of computers are all based on, but it is a more basic numbering system than that to which we humans are accustomed. Just as the most common numbering system we use is based on the number of digits most familiar to us (our ten fingers), computers use only two numbers, the, to carry out their work. This system matches the basic operating unit of the computer, its, which is made up, in a sense, of on-off switches. In computer operations, off is equivalent to 0 and on to 1 in the binary numbering system. Computers are composed of millions or billions of these switches going on and off, or equaling 1 or 0, in ways that create an amazing number of possible outcomes. Each of these individual switches is called a bit, which is short for Binary DigITS. Eight of these bits working together, compose a byte. While one bit can only be the number 0 or 1, a byte can represent numbers from 0 to 255. Larger combinations can be used to create larger numbers, such combinations of bits forming the various types of memory, central processing and video display circuits withing a computer. Some of the more commonly known numbers talked about in computer jargon are the kilobyte (k), the megabyte (Mb), and the gigabyte (Gb). While binary is the basic numbering system of the computer, programmers work with different combinations of bytes to deal with computers at the most basic levels without the cumbersome methods required to program in binary. They use of Octal (base 8) and Hexidecimal (base 16) notation, and of course, complex and very useful programming languages. No matter what the method used to program the computer, the basic operations are reduced to simple 1's and 0's in the end. But using many different combinations of these two numbers manipulated in special ways provides all the operations necessary for everything from computer games to complex scientific calculations. Actual math operations begin with simple addition. In binary, when it comes to positive integer addition, this is quite simple. Using several bits, one can add two numbers, say 2 + 3, which, in binary are represented as 010 + 011=101.,, and other operations require more than simple. It is necessary to assign special to various parts of the computer circuitry in order for certain bits or combinations of bits to accomplish specific tasks. The simplest example of this is when a negative number is denoted by the use of a fourth bit. If 2 = 010 in binary, -2 would be 1010 with the first 1 meaning "negative."

which are calculated by the computer in decimal form can be created by having bits to the left of a decimal point equal decreasing positive of two and to the right of the decimal point increasing negative powers of two. Since in binary only two states are possible, numbers larger than two are created by combining bits in a format where the first place left of the decimal can be 0 or 1 (that is, 0 or 20), the next place to the left represents 0 or 2 (and 2=21), the third place represents 0 or 4 (22) and so forth. To the right of the decimal, these bits would be, first 0 or .5 (2 -1, second 0 or .25 (2-2, etc. Given enough bits on either side of the decimal point, any number can be represented in this way which is called fixed point notation. With floating point computer, some bits are assigned to represent the number, others are and one works as the sign for the number. With such assignments made for the numbers, logic circuits are combined to perform the needed operations, including the basic four, plus, comparisons,,, and many more.