Representing Elementary Cellular Automaton Rules

rule as decimal

110

steps

mesh

decimal rule expanded in powers of 2

0  128 + 1  64 + 1  32 + 0  16 + 1  8 + 1  4 + 1  2 + 0  1  110

binary representation of rule

111	110	101	100	011	010	001	000
0	1	1	0	1	1	1	0

graphic representation of rule

Each cellular automaton rule can be represented as a decimal number obtained by reading its rule icon in base 2. This Demonstration shows this derivation for the elementary cellular automata, as well as the evolution of each automaton from a single black cell.