Identify the seven-bit character code: The ________ code represents alphanumeric characters (letters, digits, punctuation, and controls) as standardized seven-bit binary numbers.

Introduction / Context:
Character encodings map symbols to numerical codes. Historically, the most influential 7-bit standard is ASCII, which defined codes for letters, digits, punctuation, and control characters used in communications and computing. This item checks recognition of that specific seven-bit standard among distractors.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Standardized code uses 7 bits (values 0–127).
• Represents alphanumeric characters and control functions (e.g., LF, CR).
• Used widely in early terminals, file formats, and protocols; forms a subset of modern Unicode encodings.

Concept / Approach:
Identify the name that matches a seven-bit, widely adopted character set: ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange). Other names either refer to number systems (octal), are non-standard terms, or different encodings (EBCDIC is 8-bit and IBM-mainframe oriented).

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Consult any basic computing reference: ASCII 0x41–0x5A are uppercase A–Z, 0x61–0x7A lowercase a–z, confirming its intended breadth of characters in 7 bits.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Octal: A base-8 number system, not a character code.
• Alphanumeric: A descriptive adjective, not a standardized code name.
• Boy Scout: Irrelevant distractor.
• EBCDIC: A distinct 8-bit family used on mainframes, not 7-bit ASCII.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing ASCII with EBCDIC; assuming all legacy encodings are 8-bit; forgetting that ASCII’s canonical size is 7 bits even though commonly stored in 8-bit bytes.

Final Answer:
ASCII