Technology : Information Technology (IT) And Robotics (AI)

Q 36 / 37

UPSC CSE Prelims 2000

The memory of a computer is commonly expressed in terms of Kilobytes or Megabytes. A byte is made up of

EXPLANATION

Correct Option (A)

A byte is a fundamental unit of digital information in computing, comprising eight binary digits (bits). Each bit can represent one of two states, typically 0 or 1. This eight-bit structure allows a byte to represent 2⁸ (256) distinct values, which is sufficient to encode a single character in many character encoding schemes, such as ASCII.

Incorrect Options:

Options B, C, and D are incorrect because they misrepresent the composition of a byte:

  • Option B (eight decimal digits): Decimal digits are base-10 numbers (0-9). Computers operate on a binary system, not decimal, at the fundamental hardware level.
  • Option C (two binary digits): A unit of two binary digits is known as a nibble, not a byte. A byte specifically consists of eight bits.
  • Option D (two decimal digits): This option incorrectly combines the concepts of decimal digits and an insufficient quantity for a byte.