How computers think
Computers & Computational Thinking
Work at your pace. Take a break between stages; there is no countdown.
You need: paper, a pencil and this lab. A helper is welcome for reading and discussion.Connect to what you know
Those computer parts exchange information. A bit gives us a simple way to represent it.
Understand it, step by step
- 1
A bit has two possible values: 0 or 1. Our five cards are worth 16, 8, 4, 2 and 1, from left to right. Each place is double the place to its right.
- 2
Switch a card ON to include its value. OFF means add zero. The bit pattern 00101 is 4 + 1 = 5, not the decimal number one hundred and one.
- 3
Build a number by choosing the largest value that fits, then work with what is left. Check by adding the lit cards. Five cards represent every whole number from 0 to 31.
Make 6: 16 and 8 are too large. Take 4; 2 remains. Take 2; nothing remains. The cards read 00110. Check: 4 + 2 = 6.
Pause and predict
Which cards will make 13? Say the addition before clicking.