TECHNOLOGY 

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KembaraXtra-Computer Science- Bits and Bytes
Key Definitions
  • Digit: A single symbol in a decimal number (base-10).
  • Bit (Binary Digit): A single symbol in a binary number (base-2). It can be either 0 or 1.
  • Byte: A group of 8 bits.
  • Nibble: A group of 4 bits (half a byte).
Understanding Bits
  • A single bit can represent two states: 0 or 1 (off or on).
  • To represent more complex information, bits are combined into sequences.
Bytes: Grouping Bits for Manageability
  • Computers group bits into bytes (8 bits) for easier management.
Calculating Combinations
  • 4-bit Number: Can represent 16 unique combinations (from 0000 to 1111). Decimal values range from 0 to 15.
  • Byte (8-bit): Can represent 256 unique combinations.
  • Formula: The number of unique combinations for n bits is 2n.
    • Example: 24 = 16, 28 = 256
Application
  • Computer engineers need to consider how many bits or bytes will be needed for storage of data.
    • Example: A game with 12 levels can store the level number in 4 bits, but a game with 99 levels needs a byte.



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