# How do you say '10' when it's binary? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370 "2008-06-26T23:10:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/1 "2008-06-26T23:10:51Z")
I saw a joke on a bumper sticker- “There are 10 kinds of people: those who understand binary and those who don’t.” Obviously, ‘10’ in binary is ‘2’ in base ten. But how do you _say_ ‘10’ when it’s base 2? Two? One-Zero? Or is there no utterable form of it? ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/2 "2008-06-26T23:19:57Z")
10 = 1010 ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/3 "2008-06-26T23:21:54Z")
1010 ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/4 "2008-06-26T23:22:54Z")
Let me rephrase: “There are \*\*[?] \*\* kinds of people: those who understand binary and those who don’t.” What word comes out of your mouth at\*\* [?] \*\* when you read this aloud? You’re saying ‘10’ but it’s in base two. Do you say: “There are one-zero kinds of people: those who…” ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/5 "2008-06-26T23:23:34Z")
One zero. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/6 "2008-06-26T23:24:14Z")
How do you say 10 in binary? Two. I guess I get it. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/7 "2008-06-26T23:25:12Z")
> [@](#): > > 1010 I think he’s asking how 10 is pronounced when it a binary number, not a decimal. I pronounce it one-oh. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/8 "2008-06-26T23:26:09Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] I think he’s asking how 10 is pronounced when it a binary number, not a decimal. I pronounce it one-oh. [/QUOTE] Right, that’s what I was asking. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/9 "2008-06-26T23:26:22Z")
The OP is asking how to pronounce 2 (ie, 10) in base 2. Normally you pronounce it one-zero. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/10 "2008-06-26T23:28:01Z")
One-zero or “ten-base-two.” However, I think said bumper sticker is supposed to be simply pronounced “ten” for contrast purposes with similar “two types of people” jokes. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/11 "2008-06-26T23:29:21Z")
[QUOTE=Jragon] One-zero or “ten-base-two.” However, I think said bumper sticker is supposed to be simply pronounced “ten” for contrast purposes with similar “two types of people” jokes. [/QUOTE] Yeah, it’s like an inside joke. People who don’t know about binary must think WTF? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/12 "2008-06-26T23:40:50Z")
[QUOTE=lobotomyboy63] Yeah, it’s like an inside joke. People who don’t know about binary must think WTF? [/QUOTE] You should hear hexadecimal jokes. Real knee-slappers. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/13 "2008-06-26T23:48:10Z")
I’m afraid the joke just doesn’t work if it’s said aloud. It only works when written and read. Oh, and nobody writes jokes in base 13. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/14 "2008-06-26T23:49:36Z")
I say “On Off.” ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/15 "2008-06-26T23:54:18Z")
[QUOTE=Yllaria] Oh, and nobody writes jokes in base 13. [/QUOTE] Oh yeah, but what do you get if you multiply six by nine? (I’m a dork for getting that reference) ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/16 "2008-06-27T00:06:40Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] One zero. [/QUOTE] This, if I want to emphasize the fact that a binary representation is being used. “Two,” otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/17 "2008-06-27T00:07:18Z")
[QUOTE=Folly] Oh yeah, but what do you get if you multiply six by nine? (I’m a dork for getting that reference) [/QUOTE] That was an accident on DA’s part, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/18 "2008-06-27T01:02:23Z")
[QUOTE=danceswithcats] You should hear hexadecimal jokes. Real knee-slappers. [/QUOTE] You mean like “Why do programmers get Halloween and Christmas mixed up?” “Because 31Oct = 25Dec” But I guess that’s an octal joke rather than a hexadecimal. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/19 "2008-06-27T01:11:26Z")
[QUOTE=MisterThyristor] You mean like “Why do programmers get Halloween and Christmas mixed up?” “Because 31Oct = 25Dec” But I guess that’s an octal joke rather than a hexadecimal. [/QUOTE] (writing)…27=23, 30=24, 31=25…Cool, got it! ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370/20 "2008-06-27T02:21:11Z")
[QUOTE=Inigo Montoya] That was an accident on DA’s part, wasn’t it? [/QUOTE] Yeah, he was like “seriously, who the hell writes jokes in Base 13?” [QUOTE=MisterThyristor] You mean like “Why do programmers get Halloween and Christmas mixed up?” “Because 31Oct = 25Dec” But I guess that’s an octal joke rather than a hexadecimal. [/QUOTE] I once used similar logic to prove George Washington was a horse… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-10-when-its-binary/454370.md?page=2)