Lesson 2

Binary Number 1

In this lesson, students will

Preparation: 5-10 minutes

Lesson: 90 minutes

understand and use the concept of number in base two and ten.
_________________________
Students learn that
the numbers we see every day are all in base ten. We
can represent numbers in different bases, and
particularly in base 2.
all information in a computer is stored and
transmitted as binary digits (base 2). A single piece
of data which can be thought of as either zero or one.

Vocabulary
Binary
Decimal
Base 10
Base 2
Expanded notation
Convert

Objective
Students will be able to
identify binary numbers and what they represent.
write out and decode binary numbers.
convert numbers from base two (binary) to base ten (decimal).
Tie-In Knowledge
Mathematics Form 5
Chapter 1: Number bases
Student Learning
Look for the following misconception:
Numbers without written base notation has no base.
Numbers in base two are not binary numbers.
Look for the following insights:
Numbers in base two are also known as binary numbers.
Every number can be represented in binary form.
Students read numbers in base two as: 1012 is read as one zero one base two.

Materials
For the Class
A set of cards like the following:

1
6

Copy for Each Student

Secret Message 1 Worksheet
Secret Message 2 Worksheet

~Min
15

Activities

Assessment

Introduction
1. Show a set of cards with numbers to the students. The
set should look something like this example:

1
6

2. Have students sort the cards in descending order so

that the largest is on the left and the smallest is on the
right.
3. Guide students to find the pattern in the numbers.
Ask:
What do you notice about the numbers on
the cards? For the aspiring kids it is enough
for them to notice that 1+1=2, 2+2=4, etc.
Middle kids should recognize 1 x 2 = 2, 2 x 2
= 4, etc. Higher achieving kids should say
something like "powers of 2."
If I had given you another card, what would
it have been? 32
How many cards would I have given you if
the maximum card were 128? 8
20

Activity 1
1. Explain to students converting between binary and
decimal numbers is fairly simple, as long as you
remember that each digit in the binary number
represents a power of two.
Convert 1011001012 to the corresponding baseten number.
I will list the digits in order, and count them off
from the RIGHT, starting with zero:
digits: 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1
numbering: 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
The first row above (labelled "digits") contains the
digits from the binary number; the second row
(labelled " numbering") contains the power
of 2 (the base) corresponding to each digits. I will
use this listing to convert each digit to the power of

Binary Worksheet
1

two that it represents:

Expanded notation:
128 + 027 + 126 + 125 + 024 + 023 + 122 +
021 + 12
= 1256 + 0128 + 164 + 132 + 016 + 08 +
14 + 02 + 11
= 256 + 64 + 32 + 4 + 1
= 357
Then 1011001012 converts to 35710.
35

Activity 2
1. Divided students into groups.
2. Distribute Secret Message 1 worksheet to each
group.
3. Each group have to decipher the secret message by
changing binary number to decimal.
4. Allow the groups 20 minutes to complete the task.
5. Have every group present their respective secret
message to reveal the entire message as a class.

15

Activity 3
1. Distribute Secret Message 2 worksheet to each
student. Have student complete Secret Message
2 worksheet individually. Provide assistance to
students having trouble completing the worksheet
give.

Secret Message 1
worksheet

Reflection
1. Have students review the following questions:
Are binary numbers important? yes
Why do you think it is important? It is much
easier to work with because big numbers can
simply be written with ones and zeros.

Secret Message 2
worksheet