Ask Me Help Desk

Ask Me Help Desk (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/forum.php)
-   Computers for Beginners (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=79)
-   -   Why in computer 1024 bytes are equal to 1KB? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=510928)

  • Sep 26, 2010, 02:50 AM
    hkz
    why in computer 1024 bytes are equal to 1KB?
    according to the mathematical theory 1000 meters = 1 kilo meter while in computer 1024 bytes are equal to 1 kilo byte ?
  • Sep 26, 2010, 03:45 AM
    Curlyben
    That would be because it's based on binary (base 2) and not the more normal base 10.
  • Sep 26, 2010, 04:42 AM
    ScottGem

    Just to expand on Ben's answer. A computer is, when you boil it down, nothing more than a series of switches that are either on or off. The CPU reads which switches are on and off and performs actions based on that. To represent whether a switch is on or off the binary numbering system is used since this numbering system has only two digits; zero and one. So computer numbers are all based on this. To represent the number 2 in binary you use 10. To represent the number 3 its 11. Or further:
    4:100
    5: 101
    6: 111
    etc.

    Each of these switches is called a bit and 8 of then is called a byte. So everything goes in multiple of 8.

  • All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:16 PM.