In the binary language used by computers, each letter of the alphabet, each number, and each special character is represented by a unique combination of how many bits?

Introduction / Context:
Computers ultimately work with binary digits, or bits, which can take the value 0 or 1. To represent letters, digits, and symbols, groups of bits are combined to form codes. One of the most widely used schemes in older computer systems is based on groups of eight bits, known as a byte. This question checks whether you know how many bits are used in such a group to represent a single character in common binary encoding schemes.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to binary language representing letters, numbers, and special characters.
• The options include eight bytes, eight kilobytes, eight characters, and eight bits.
• We assume standard character encodings like ASCII that use one byte per character.
• One byte is defined as eight bits in common computer architectures.

Concept / Approach:
Historically, the ASCII character set uses seven bits to encode basic characters, but in practice an eighth bit is used for parity or extended characters, resulting in a standard of one byte per character. A byte is defined as eight bits in nearly all modern systems. Therefore, each character is represented by a unique combination of eight bits. Eight bytes would be 64 bits, which is much more than needed for a single ASCII character. Eight kilobytes and eight characters clearly do not directly answer the question about bit combinations. The correct answer is eight bits.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the definition of a bit and a byte. A bit is a single binary digit; a byte is a group of eight bits. Step 2: Connect this with character encoding. In common encodings, each character is represented using one byte, that is, eight bits. Step 3: Evaluate the options. “Eight bytes” would be 64 bits, “eight kilobytes” is even larger, and “eight characters” is not a bit count. Step 4: Recognise that “eight bits” directly matches the definition of a byte. Step 5: Select “eight bits” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Introductory computer science materials consistently define a byte as eight bits and state that primary memory and file sizes are often measured in bytes. Standard ASCII uses one byte per character, and extended encodings often continue to treat a character as one or more bytes. When learning about binary representation, teachers often show that a single uppercase letter or digit corresponds to an eight bit pattern. This widely accepted convention confirms that the typical unique combination for a character is eight bits.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (eight bytes): This equals sixty four bits, far more than needed for a single character in basic encodings. Option B (eight kilobytes): This is a measure of memory size (about eight thousand bytes), not the bit width of a single character code. Option C (eight characters): This refers to the number of symbols, not to bits in a binary representation.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners confuse bits and bytes or assume that the larger number must be correct. Others see “eight bytes” and know that eight is associated with character size, but forget that it is eight bits, not eight bytes. To avoid confusion, remember that a byte is eight bits and that common single character encodings use one byte per character. Whenever a question asks for a combination of bits used to represent one character, the answer is eight bits in typical systems.

Final Answer:
Each character in binary language is represented by a unique combination of eight bits.