Binary and data representation - EdexcelRepresentation of data
All data in a computer is represented in binary, whether it is numbers, text, images or sound. The computer software processes the data according to its content.
In a computer, all dataUnits of information. In computing there can be different data types, including integers, characters and Boolean. Data is often acted on by instructions. is stored in binaryA number system that contains two symbols, 0 and 1. Also known as base 2. form. A binary digit has two possible states - 1 and 0.
A binary digit is known as a bitThe smallest unit of data in computing represented by a 1 in binary.. A bit is the smallest unit of data a computer can use.
Eight bits are known as a byteA unit of data containing 8 bits.. A byte is significant in that a single character can be represented in binary in eight bits - one byte.
Binary values are used to represent many kinds of data, namely numbers, text, images or sound.
Units of data storage and file size calculation
To be able to reference large numbers of 0s and 1s, the binary unit system is used:
Size
Unit
8 bits
1 byte
1,024 bytes
1 kilobyte - KB
1,024 kilobytes - 1,024 KB
1 megabyte - MB
1,024 megabytes - 1,024 MB
1 gigabyte - GB
1,024 gigabytes - 1,024 GB
1 terabyte - TB
1,024 terabytes - 1,024 TB
1 petabyte - PB
Size
8 bits
Unit
1 byte
Size
1,024 bytes
Unit
1 kilobyte - KB
Size
1,024 kilobytes - 1,024 KB
Unit
1 megabyte - MB
Size
1,024 megabytes - 1,024 MB
Unit
1 gigabyte - GB
Size
1,024 gigabytes - 1,024 GB
Unit
1 terabyte - TB
Size
1,024 terabytes - 1,024 TB
Unit
1 petabyte - PB
Kibibytes, mebibytes, gibibytes and tebibytes
Units of data are not only limited to the values in the table above. There are more precise binary measurements that should also be noted:
