In digital electronics and computer terminology, a group of eight bits taken together as a single unit of information is called what?

Introduction / Context:
Bits and bytes are among the most fundamental units in digital computing. Every piece of data stored in or processed by a computer is ultimately broken down into bits, which are binary digits 0 or 1. These bits are grouped together to form larger units, and the most common grouping is eight bits. Knowing the correct names for such groupings is essential for understanding memory sizes, file sizes and data transmission rates.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question specifically mentions a group of eight bits.
• Options include buzz, nibble, byte, word and block.
• We assume standard computer science terminology for bit groupings.
• The question is conceptual and does not involve calculations.

Concept / Approach:
A bit is the smallest unit of information in computing. Four bits grouped together are commonly called a nibble. Eight bits grouped together are called a byte. Many computer architectures treat a byte as the basic addressable unit of memory. A word is a larger unit whose size depends on the architecture, such as 16 bit or 32 bit, and block is a more generic term. Therefore, when asked about a group of eight bits, the correct answer is byte.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that one bit can only represent two possible values, 0 or 1. Step 2: To represent more complex information, bits are grouped. Four bits form a nibble, which can represent 16 different values. Step 3: Eight bits form a byte, which can represent 256 different values, from 0 to 255. Step 4: Many character encoding schemes, such as ASCII and extended ASCII, use one byte per character, which makes the byte a very important unit. Step 5: The term buzz is not a recognised unit in digital electronics and is likely a distractor. Step 6: A word typically refers to the natural unit of data used by a particular processor, such as 16, 32 or 64 bits, not necessarily eight bits. Step 7: Block is a general term for a chunk of data and does not have a fixed bit length in this context. Step 8: Therefore, the standard term for a group of eight bits is byte.

Verification / Alternative check:
Computer organisation textbooks routinely state that one byte equals eight bits. Memory sizes such as kilobytes, megabytes and gigabytes are all based on this definition. For example, 1 kilobyte is often defined as 1024 bytes in binary based calculations. Networking and storage standards similarly define bytes as eight bit units. These consistent definitions confirm that the correct term for eight bits is byte, not nibble or word.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Nibble correctly refers to four bits, so it cannot describe eight bits. Buzz is not used in digital data measurement at all. Word refers to a larger architecture dependent unit and therefore is not fixed at eight bits. Block is a generic term that could refer to many bytes or words and does not specifically mean eight bits. Only byte precisely matches the definition given in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students confuse nibble and byte because both use small numbers of bits. To avoid this, remember that nibble is half a byte, just as the word nibble playfully suggests a small bite. A full byte then is eight bits. Keeping this simple word association in mind will help you quickly answer questions about bit groupings in exams.

Final Answer:
A group of eight bits is called a byte.