How many bits per character does ASCII use?

How many bits per character does ASCII use?

• A. 7
• B. 8
• C. 6
• D. 9

Answer: (A)

ASCII uses seven bits to represent each character, giving 128 possible symbols (letters, digits, punctuation, and control codes). In practice, computers store characters in an 8-bit byte, leaving the eighth bit unused or used for parity or extended sets, but the standard ASCII specification itself uses 7 bits. So seven bits is the correct answer.

ASCII uses seven bits to represent each character, giving 128 possible symbols (letters, digits, punctuation, and control codes). In practice, computers store characters in an 8-bit byte, leaving the eighth bit unused or used for parity or extended sets, but the standard ASCII specification itself uses 7 bits. So seven bits is the correct answer.