How many bits are in a byte?

Study for the AP Networking Test. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions for effective learning. Equip yourself with hints and explanations to ensure exam success. Get ready to excel!

Multiple Choice

How many bits are in a byte?

Explanation:
A byte is eight bits. A bit is a 0 or 1, and grouping eight of those bits gives a byte, which can represent 256 distinct values (2^8). That size is the standard for encoding characters in most systems (ASCII uses 7 bits but is stored in a full byte). The other groupings correspond to different chunk sizes: four bits is a nibble, sixteen bits is two bytes, and thirty-two bits is four bytes. So eight bits per byte is the correct size.

A byte is eight bits. A bit is a 0 or 1, and grouping eight of those bits gives a byte, which can represent 256 distinct values (2^8). That size is the standard for encoding characters in most systems (ASCII uses 7 bits but is stored in a full byte). The other groupings correspond to different chunk sizes: four bits is a nibble, sixteen bits is two bytes, and thirty-two bits is four bytes. So eight bits per byte is the correct size.

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