From: Doug Ewell (dewell@adelphia.net)
Date: Mon Oct 11 2004 - 01:19:05 CST
Cristian Secară <orice at secarica dot ro> wrote:
>> Most people begin counting with one, although in the recent
>> past some computer technicians have begun to begin counting
>> with zero.
>
> There is serious reason for that: when it comes to exponent of 2,
> counting from zero makes sense, as the first bit (b0) value
> calculation is 2^0=1, the second bit (b1) value calculation is 2^1=2,
> ..., the eight bit (b7) value calculation is 2^7=128.
>
> This is for 8 bit, but the same apply for 16 etc. number of bits (the
> same apply to Unicode characters in binary representation).
This is important only if the bit combinations that make up character
codes can be freely converted to and from integer values like 128.
Depending on the hardware and/or software involved, this conversion may
not be visible or available to end users.
Just think of "b1" as a name, not part of a formula. Or, if you must
use these things in a formula, try 2^(b-1) or something.
-Doug Ewell
Fullerton, California
http://users.adelphia.net/~dewell/
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