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What is Binary Addition

A binary number system is a method of representing the number with the base 2, it uses the digits 1 and 0. As it uses only two digits 0 and 1 and has a base of 2, which is called binary.

All digital devices use a binary number system in their electronic circuit. The input 0 indicates off state and the input 1 indicates the state. Because of these implementations binary number systems are most widely used in modern computer technology.

Each digit is referred to as a bit.

There are no 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 in the binary number system.

Example of binary number system is (101)2 = 1 x 22 + 0 x 21+ 1 x 20

= 4 + 0 + 1

=5

Binary Arithmetic Operations

As we perform arithmetic operations on the decimal number system, similarly we can perform all arithmetic operations on binary numbers.Operations such as

• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication and
• Division 

Let us study what is binary addition in detail

What is Binary Addition

Binary addition definition:

Binary addition is the addition of binary numbers. Binary addition is as similar in decimal number system the difference is only of the base. The decimal number system has base 10 and uses digits from 1 to 9 while the binary number system has the base 2 and uses only digits 0 and 1. Binary numbers consist of only two digits 0 and 1.

Most of the digital devices understand only binary number systems, so before adding two binary number systems we should understand the state of the digits. Each bit represents a voltage signal. The bit 0 indicates ‘off’ state while the bit 1 indicates the ‘ on’ state.

Addition of binary numbers is an easy task if you understand the binary addition rules.

Binary Addition Rules

Addition of two binary numbers as easy as the decimal number system. Just we have to take note of some rules while adding two binary numbers. There are  four rules associated with binary addition. The binary addition rules are as follows.

• 0 + 0 = 0
• 0 + 1 = 1
• 1 + 0 = 1
• 1 + 1 =10 ( carry 1 to the next significant bit)

As binary numbers include only two digits i.e. 0 and 1, these four rules are all the possible conditions for the addition of binary numbers.

Here is the stepwise procedure of how to add two binary numbers.

Steps to Add Two Binary Numbers

While  two numbers of decimal number systems what we do is if the addition of two numbers is greater than 1 we carry the digit to the next column and then add.

Let us consider an example add 63  to 37

 1

  6 3

+3 7

——–

1 0 0

Here what we do is we add first ones column here the addition is 10 which is the two-digit number and greater than 9 as 9 is the largest number in decimal number system, we carry 1 to next column tens column, here too the result is 10, as there is no more column to carry we can write the number as it is.

A similar procedure is undertaken to add two binary numbers. Let us add 111 and 110

Step 1: First let us add the first column.

As per the binary rules for the addition we have 1 + 1 = 10. Now write 0 in the same column and carry 1 to the next column that is the tens column.

             1

  1 0 1

   + 1 1 1 

         ————

            0

Step 2:Now add digits in tens place we have  0 + 1 = 1 and add the carry 1. I.e 1 +1 =     10. We get 10. Again write 0 in the tens column and carry one to the next column that is hundreds columns.

1 1

1 0 1

+ 1 1 1

        ———–

            0  0 

Step 3: Now add digits in hundreds place i.e 1 + 1 = 10 and add the carry 1 that will be 10 + 1 = 11. So write 1 in hundreds column and take carry to the thousands place.

1 1 1

1 0 1

+ 1 1 1

        ———–

          1  0  0 

Step 4: Write the last digit 1 as it is in thousands columns.

   1 1 1

1 0 1

+ 1 1 1

        ———–

      1  1  0  0 

So the result of the addition of 101 and 111 is 1100 

We can cross-check these with the decimal number system.

• 1 0 1 in decimal number system is 5
• 1 1 1 in decimal number system is 7
• Adding 5 + 7 we get 12
• And 1 1 0 0 in the decimal number system is 12.

Let us practice some more binary addition examples.

Binary Addition Examples

Example 1:  Add 10102 and 11112

Solution: 1 1

1 0 1 0

      + 1 1 1 1

—————————

       1 1 0  0  1

Example 2:Add  100112 and 1100012

Solution

         1       1 1

            1 0 0 1 1 

    +   1 1 0 0 0 1

——————————

     1 0 0 0 1 0 0

Quiz Time

Binary addition examples to solve:

Add 101102 and 111112

Add 10000012 and 10102