All data is represented as binary digits, whether it is numbers, text, images or sound. Calculations are also made in binary.
In a computer, all data is stored in binary form. A binary digit has two possible states, 1 and 0.
A binary digit is known as a bit. A bit is the smallest unit of data a computer can use. The binary unit system is used to describe bigger numbers too.
Eight bits are known as a byte.
The binary unit system is as follows:
| 8 bits | 1 byte (B) |
|---|---|
| 1,000 bytes (1,000 B) | 1 kilobyte (KB) |
| 1,000 kilobytes (1,000 KB) | 1 megabyte (MB) |
| 1,000 megabytes (1,000 MB) | 1 gigabyte (GB) |
| 1,000 gigabytes (1,000 GB) | 1 terabyte (TB) |
| 1,000 terabytes (1,000 TB) | 1 petabyte (PB) |
When calculating storage space for disk drives, it is common to use multiples of 1,000. These are shown in the table above as kilobytes, megabytes etc.