The Binary System
Here we explain how the binary system works so you can understand what’s behind the clock. If you’re only interested in learning how to read the clock, just skip ahead to The Clock.
In the decimal system, a number like 573 is made up of the parts 5×100, 7×10, and 3×1. The digits are multiplied by 1, 10, and 100 depending on their position.
These numbers (1, 10, 100) are powers of 10: 10⁰ = 1, 10¹ = 10, and 10² = 100. The decimal system uses 10 different digits (0–9), which is why the number 10 already requires two places to be represented.
Since the binary system only uses two digits (0 and 1), the places are multiplied by powers of 2. The first position (on the far right) is multiplied by 2⁰, the second by 2¹, and so on. Just like in the decimal system, the powers increase from right to left.
The binary number 10110 is calculated like this:
10110 = 1×2⁴ + 0×2³ + 1×2² + 1×2¹ + 0×2⁰ = 16 + 0 + 4 + 2 + 0 = 22
The Clock
On TheBinaryClock, each row of lights (same color) represents a binary number.
Each light in a row therefore stands for either a 1 or a 0:
The values of the lights are the same as in a binary number.
To read the time, simply add up the values of the illuminated lights:
The clock is currently showing 16:52:26.
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