Start at 0
Use only 0 and 1
Count up by adding 1 each time
After 0 comes 1
After 1 comes 10
After 10 comes 11
After 11 comes 100
After 100 comes 101
After 101 comes 110
After 110 comes 111
After 111 comes 1000
Continue the same pattern
Each new place value is a power of 2