Binary literals, also known as binary notation, are a way of expressing numbers in the binary system. This system uses only two digits, 0 and 1, to represent all numbers. In Python, binary literals are denoted by prefixing the number with "0b".
To better understand binary literals in Python, let's take a look at a few examples. Let's say we want to express the number 5 in binary. In decimal form, 5 is represented as 101, but in binary form, it would be written as 0b101. Similarly, the number 10 would be written as 0b1010 in binary form.
One advantage of using binary literals in Python is that it allows for easier manipulation and interpretation of binary data. For example, if we have a string of binary data, we can easily convert it to decimal form by using the int() function with a base of 2. This makes it easier to work with binary data, especially for tasks such as data compression and encryption.
Another use case for binary literals in Python is when working with bitwise operators. These operators perform operations on individual bits of a number rather than the whole number. For example, the bitwise AND operator (&) compares each corresponding bit of two numbers and returns 1 only if both bits are 1. Using binary literals makes it easier to visualize and work with these bitwise operations.
To use binary literals in Python, simply prefix the number with "0b". It is important to note that the number following the prefix must only contain 0s and 1s, otherwise, an error will occur.
Python also allows for the use of underscores in binary literals to make them more readable. For example, instead of writing 0b1001010101, we can write it as 0b10_0101_0101. This can be especially useful when working with larger binary numbers.
In addition to using binary literals with integers, Python also allows for the use of binary literals with floating-point numbers. In this case, the prefix "0b" is followed by the binary representation of the number, a dot, and the binary representation of the fractional part. For example, 0b101.001 would be equivalent to 5.25 in decimal form.
It is worth mentioning that binary literals are not limited to just base 2. Python also allows for the use of other bases such as octal (base 8) and hexadecimal (base 16). To use these bases, simply replace the "0b" prefix with "0o" for octal and "0x" for hexadecimal.
In conclusion, binary literals in Python provide a convenient way to work with binary data and perform bitwise operations. They are easy to use and can help improve code readability. So next time you are working with binary data in Python, don't forget to make use of binary literals.
