Number Systems
There are different kinds of number systems that uses different bases. For example a decimal numbering system would have base 10. These stuff is the most basic knowledge and is deemed to be a prerequisite to read this book or even this note that I am writing.
Analogue v/s Digital
There are two basic ways of representing a numerical value that we deal with in our day to day lives.
Analogue
One of them is referred to as Analogue these values can be a continuous value. For example the temperature of the room can be 23.09 degrees or 23.683421 for a more accurate measurement. In another example we can take a look at voltage. Depending on the accuracy of the measurement device we might get a more accurate value for lets say 2.58612241 V. The main Concept in understanding this is that the value that is represented is often continuous and can have any value between the given range.
Digital
The other possible way to measure a numerical value is digital. It represents the given quantity in discrete values or in Steps. The most common application of digital method is binary numbers. For example the same temperature can only be 23 degrees now. The main concept here is the discreteness or the steps wise increment or decrement of the value.
Implementing Analogue and Digital
Analogue systems contain devices that process or work on various physical quantities represented in analogue form. Digital systems contain devices that process the physical quantities represented in digital form.
Digital techniques and systems have the advantages of being relatively much easier to design and having higher accuracy, programmability, noise immunity, easier storage of data and ease of fabrication in integrated circuit form, leading to availability of more complex functions in a smaller size.
The real world, however, is analogue. Most physical quantities – position, velocity, acceleration, force, pressure, temperature and flowrate, for example – are analogue in nature. That is why analogue variables representing these quantities need to be digitized or discretized at the input if we want to benefit from the features and facilities that come with the use of digital techniques.
In a typical system dealing with analogue inputs and outputs, analogue variables are digitized at the input with the help of an analogue-to-digital converter block and reconverted back to analogue form at the output using a digital-to-analogue converter block.
References
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- date: 2024.09.19
- time: 08:45