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Category: Definition
Byte
A byte is the second largest unit for data storage in information technology. One byte consists of eight
bit
and is called - according to ISO standards -
octet
. Byte is used as a unit for sizes and is also used synonymously for 8 bit.
A byte (which stands for one octet) is the basic unit to specify larger data quantities.
These will normally be represented with a prefix like, for example k (for kilo, 1000) or
ki (for kilo-binary, 1024). Terms like k-octet or M-octet are usually not used in English,
but can be found for example in French.
The word byte derives from the English words "bit" and "bite".
Originally, the notation "bite" was used.
In order to avoid accidental confusion with the term "Bit"
the notation was changed to "byte". Later "Byte" was created as an
acronym for "Binary term".
| Prefixes for multiples of a byteth>
|
| Multiplier |
Name |
Symbol |
Origin |
Derivation |
| 210 |
kibi |
Ki |
kilobinary: (210)1 |
kilo: (103)1 |
| 220 |
mebi |
Mi |
megabinary: (210)2 |
mega: (103)2 |
| 230 |
gibi |
Gi |
gigabinary: (210)3 |
giga: (103)3 |
| 240 |
tebi |
Ti |
terabinary: (210)4 |
tera: (103)4 |
| 250 |
pebi |
Pi |
petabinary: (210)5 |
peta: (103)5 |
| 260 |
exbi |
Ei |
exabinary: (210)6 |
exa: (103)6 |
| Examples and comparisons to SI (International System of Units - Système International d'Unités) Prefixes |
| one kibibit |
1 Kibit = 210 bit = 1024 bit |
| one kilobit |
1 kbit = 103 bit = 1000 bit |
| one mebibyte |
1 MiB = 220 B = 1 048 576 B |
| one megabyte |
1 MB = 106 B = 1 000 000 B |
| one gibibyte |
1 GiB = 230 B = 1 073 741 824 B |
| one gigabyte |
1 GB = 109 B = 1 000 000 000 B |
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