Q. In the context of computer bits, would you make an exception to the rule about spelling out numbers under 10 (Chicago’s alternative rule), or would you still spell out “zero” and “one”? For example, “Information is represented in bits as 0s and 1s.” Is that correct?
A. When expressing binary bit strings (or any specific numeric component thereof), it makes sense to use numerals: e.g., 11111100011 (binary for 2019). But when discussing binary numbers as a concept—as in your example—you can refer to zeros and ones as the basis of the system. This has the advantage, among others, of avoiding the plural forms 1s and 0s (which in some fonts will look almost like words).