There are only two digits — 1 and 0, and place-value is based on the powers of two: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and so on. Counting in binary, we start with 1, and then two is 10: 2 + 0. Three is 11: 2 + 1.

If you thought you could only count to 10 using your fingers, think again. Using the binary system, you can quickly count into the tens of thousands.I ...