How to Add Single Digit Binary Numbers

Binary is a computer language that uses only 1's and 0's to convey information. Sometimes you might want to add 2 or more binary numbers together. Of course when you use normal math, you might add 1 plus 1 and get 2. In binary, however, you can only have 1's and 0's. Luckily once you know the rules of binary math, you can easily add any binary numbers together.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Write your 2 binary numbers as a math equation with one number on top of the other. As in regular math, the right most numbers should be aligned, and it doesn't matter if one number hangs off to the left farther than the other.
2. Start at the right-most number. This is important for a multiple digit binary number. In a multiple digit binary number, you will add the right-most numbers first.
3. Use one of these rules to add your first, right-most binary number.
   
   0 + 0=0
   
   0 + 1=1
   
   1 + 0=1
   
   1 + 1=1 + (See Step 4.)
4. Carry a 1 into the next column of addition. Whenever you have 1+1 in a column, you will carry a 1 into the next column, just the way you did in second grade math when you add 5 + 5. Unlike conventional math when you add 5 + 5 and write a zero in that column and carry a 1 into the next, when you add 1 + 1 in binary, you write 1 in that column and carry a 1 into the next.
5. Write the 1 into the next column. After all, in a single binary digit, you'll have nothing to add that 1 to anyway.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn the rule for adding binary digits in a column that has a carried 1. Let's say you just carried a 1 to a column. Now you need to add that column. When you add binary numbers and have a carried 1, you will carry the 1 for the rest of the equation unless you add 2 0's together. Here are the rules.
  0 + 0 + (the carry) = 1
  1 + 1 + (the carry) = 1 + (carry 1)
  0 + 1 + (the carry) = 0 + (carry 1)
  1 + 0 + (the carry) = 0 + (carry 1)