What does the prefix "0b" indicate in number systems?

The prefix "0b" is used to indicate that a number is in binary format. In binary, numbers are represented using only two digits: 0 and 1. This notation is important in programming and digital electronics, where binary representation is fundamental due to the binary nature of computer systems. The "0b" prefix helps to distinguish binary numbers from numbers in other bases, such as decimal or hexadecimal, ensuring clarity in communication and preventing confusion when dealing with different number systems.

Understanding the context is crucial—binary is the base-2 number system, which is widely used in computing. The use of prefixes like "0b" is standard in many programming languages (such as Python) to specify that a literal number should be interpreted as binary rather than in other bases.