What are both analog and digital systems?

Both analog and digital systems are ways that things can send or show messages, just like how you talk to your friend at school.

Imagine you're drawing a picture on the playground with chalk. If you draw a smooth, flowing hill, that’s like an analog system, it changes slowly and smoothly, like the way the sun moves across the sky. Now imagine instead you use only blocks to build a hill: each block is either there or not, all flat and even. That's more like a digital system, everything has clear steps or parts.

• Analog systems work like a slide, you can be anywhere on the slide, not just at the top or bottom.
• Digital systems are like stairs, you move one step at a time, either up or down.

Think of your favorite music player. If it's playing a song from a vinyl record, that’s analog, the sound flows smoothly. But if it’s playing songs from a phone, that’s digital, everything is made of tiny steps, like little building blocks. Both are great for showing messages, just in different ways!