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In computing terms, '''Byte''' refers to a unit of data that is eight binary (bits) digits long. It is the unit most computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or symbol (for example, "a", "7", or "@").<br />

In [[computing]], a '''byte''' is a unit of data that is eight [[Binary system|binary]] (bits) digits long. Thus it has 2⁸ = 256 different values that can be logically mapped to represent letters, numbers or symbols (for example, "a", "7", or "@").

The word was coined by Dr. Werner Buchholz of [[IBM]] in 1956 <ref>http://members.aol.com/jeff570/b.html</ref>.

The word was coined by Dr. Werner Buchholz of [[IBM]] in 1956.<ref>http://members.aol.com/jeff570/b.html</ref>

A byte is abbreviated with a "B". Computer storage space is usually measured in byte multiples, for example 100MB is equal to 100 million bytes - or megabytes - of data.

A byte is abbreviated with a "B". [[Computer]] storage space is usually measured in byte multiples, for example 100MB is equal to 100 megabytes (approximately 100 million bytes) of data.

Other common abbreviations include:<br />

Other common abbreviations include:<br />

kB = kilobyte = 1000 bytes<br />

kB = kilobyte = 1024 bytes = approximately 1 thousand bytes<br />

GB = gigabyte = 1 billion bytes (although this is an approximation) <ref>http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid5_gci212194,00.html</ref><br />

MB = Megabyte = 1024 kilobytes = 1,048,576 bytes = approximately 1 million bytes<br />

TB = terabyte = 1000 billion bytes (or 1000GB)<br />

GB = gigabyte = 1024 megabytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes = 1 billion bytes (although this is an approximation) <ref>http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid5_gci212194,00.html</ref><br />

PB = petabyte = 1000TB<br />

TB = terabyte = 1024 gigabytes = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes = approximately 1 trillion bytes<br />

EB = exabyte = one billion gigabytes<br />

PB = petabyte = 1024 terebytes = 1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes = approximately 1 quadrillion bytes<br />

Half a byte is referred to as a nybble<ref>http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/site/2006/04/P15/</ref><br />

EB = exabyte = 1024 petabytes = 1,152,921,504,606,846,976 bytes = approximately 1 quintillion bytes<br />

Half a byte is referred to as a nibble (or nybble).<ref>http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/site/2006/04/P15/</ref><br />

==References==

==References==

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[[category:science]]

[[Category:Computers]]

[[category:computers]]