Bit
A bit is the basic unit of information in computing and digital communications.
Contents
Description
A bit can have only one of two values, and may therefore be physically implemented with a two-state device.
These values are most commonly represented as either 0 or 1.
Interpretations
The two values can also be interpreted as any other two-valued attribute, such as:
- Logical values (true/false, yes/no)
- Algebraic signs (+/−)
- activation states
Conventions
The correspondence between these values and the physical states of the underlying storage or device is a matter of convention, and different assignments may be used even within the same device or program.
Bit-length
The length of a binary number may be referred to as its bit-length.
Information theory
In information theory, one bit is typically defined as the uncertainty of a binary random variable that is 0 or 1 with equal probability, or the information that is gained when the value of such a variable becomes known.
Etymology
The term bit is a portmanteau of binary digit (see Binary).
See also
External links
- Bit @ Wikipedia
