Introduction / Context:
The byte is the basic addressable unit of data in most computer architectures. Understanding its size in bits is foundational for memory, storage, networking, and instruction set concepts.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- We are referring to conventional, standardized systems used today.
- Historic variants existed, but the industry has converged on a common definition.
Concept / Approach:
Modern computing universally defines a byte as 8 bits, often called an octet in networking to avoid ambiguity. This convention supports binary representations of characters (e.g., ASCII, UTF-8 code units), addresses, and packed fields across platforms.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Recall standard definition: 1 byte = 8 bits.Apply to common contexts: memory sizes (bytes), network octets, file sizes.Select the option “8.”
Verification / Alternative check:
Networking standards use “octet” to explicitly mean 8 bits; OS and hardware documentation treat the byte as 8 bits across mainstream architectures.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
4/16/32: Represent nibble, half-word/word sizes in some contexts, but not the standard byte size.
Common Pitfalls:
Confusing historical non-8-bit bytes with the modern standard; today’s systems overwhelmingly use 8-bit bytes.
Final Answer:
8
Discussion & Comments