Computer Data Representation

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary reason for using binary digits to represent data in computers?

It is a more complex system

It is impractical to come up with a symbol for every character (correct)

It is a more difficult system to understand

It is a more ancient concept

What do computers use to read all data?

Binary digits (correct)

Decimal numbers

Pictures

Alphabet letters

What is the representation of the decimal number 145 in binary digits?

11110101

00011111

10010001 (correct)

01010101

Why is it impractical to store the letter 'a' as a symbol at the hardware level?

It would be impractical to come up with a symbol for every character Signup and view all the answers

What is being stored in the computer's hardware when you see the letter 'a' on the screen?

A combination of 0s and 1s that represent the 'a' Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an ancient method of data representation?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

How does a computer interpret the letter 'a'?

As a combination of 0s and 1s that represent the 'a' Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of using binary digits to represent colors?

To represent the composition of red, green, and blue values Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of using binary digits to represent data?

It is simpler at the hardware level Signup and view all the answers

How do computers store the letter 'a'?

As a combination of on and off transistors Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of using binary data representation?

It allows for more efficient data storage and transmission Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the number of bits and the number of possible combinations?

The number of combinations doubles with each additional bit Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a legend or mapping in binary data representation?

To provide a standardized way of representing data Signup and view all the answers

How many bits are typically used to represent a single character on a keyboard?

8 bits Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary unit of measurement for computer memory?

Byte Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the number of bytes and the number of possible combinations?

The number of combinations is equal to 2 to the power of the number of bytes Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of using a standardized mapping or legend in binary data representation?

It allows for global recognition and compatibility Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical range of values that can be represented by a single byte?

0 to 256 Signup and view all the answers

What is the equivalent of 1024 bytes in terms of computer memory?

Kilobyte Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of using binary data representation in computers?

To provide a standardized way of representing data Signup and view all the answers

How many GB is a terabyte (TB) equal to?

1024 Signup and view all the answers

What is the total number of possibilities in a 2-digit hexadecimal number?

256 Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the ASCII Table?

To create a global standard for encoding characters Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the dominant encoding scheme for the world wide web?

UTF-8 Signup and view all the answers

How many byte code units does UTF-8 use?

1 to 4 Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of character sets such as ASCII and UTF-8?

To enable the global recognition of characters Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the character set that extends the 7-bit ASCII encoding scheme?

Latin-1 Signup and view all the answers

Why may online translators sometimes be inaccurate?

Due to the assignment of letters to ASCII Signup and view all the answers

What is the unit of measurement that is equal to 1024 TB?

Petabyte Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the Library of Congress requiring 10 TB of storage?

It shows the large amount of data that can be stored Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Computer Readable Data

Bits are the fundamental units of data in computers, and all data is represented as binary digits (0s and 1s).
Converting human data, such as pictures, text, voice messages, and colors, into computer-readable data has taken years of development by individuals and companies.
Any color can be converted into binary digits based on its composition of red, green, and blue values.

Storing Data

Computers don't store symbols or characters, but rather combinations of 0s and 1s that represent them.
The letter "a" is represented as 01100001 in binary, which is stored as a combination of on and off transistors in the computer.
Simplicity is key at the hardware level, so using binary representation is more practical and efficient.

Data Representation

Binary representation of data is an ancient concept, similar to Morse Code, which uses combinations of short and long beeps to represent language.
Smoke signals were used to communicate between villages, using short puffs (0s) and long puffs (1s) in different combinations to send different messages.
New ways of representing data using binary interpretation are constantly being invented, allowing for more technological advances.

Binary Data Representation

A "bit" is a single binary digit holding either a value of 0 or 1, with only two possible options (yes or no, true or false).
The number of possible combinations of binary digits doubles with each additional bit:
- 1 bit has 2 combinations
- 2 bits has 4 combinations
- 3 bits has 8 combinations
- 4 bits has 16 combinations
- n bits has 2^n combinations
Binary has a base-2 number system, with only two possible numerals: 0 and 1.

Storing Text and Characters

A single byte (8 bits) can store exactly one character, with 256 possible combinations.
A table can be created to represent characters using binary numbers, but this approach has limitations and requires global agreement.

Computer Memory

Computer memory is stored in bytes, with larger units including kilobytes (kB), megabytes (MB), and gigabytes (GB).
A kilobyte is equal to 1024 bytes, a megabyte is equal to 1024 kilobytes, and a gigabyte is equal to 1024 megabytes.
Larger units, such as terabytes (TB) and petabytes (PB), are less commonly used but may become more important in the future.

ASCII Chart

The American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) is a character set that assigns binary values to characters.
ASCII has no specific reason for its assignment of characters, but it has been globally agreed upon and recognized.
The ASCII Table is too large to display on one slide, but it encodes numbers, letters, symbols, and punctuation, as well as non-printable commands.
The chart is based on English letters, but other languages translate their letters to English equivalents that align with the chart.

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Description

Learn how computers store and represent data, including binary digits, conversion of human data into computer-readable format, and color representation.