Which statement about bytes is true?

Which statement about bytes is true?

• A. A byte is 8 bits, used to store a single character.
• B. A byte is 4 bits.
• C. A byte measures frequency.
• D. A byte is 16 bits.

Answer: (A)

Bytes are the units used to store data in a computer. A byte is made up of 8 bits, and that 8-bit group is typically used to hold one character in common encodings like ASCII. With 8 bits, a byte can represent 256 different values, which is enough to cover the standard characters and symbols we use. That makes the statement about a byte being 8 bits and used to store a single character the best description. The other ideas don’t fit: a byte isn’t 4 bits, it isn’t a measure of frequency (that would be hertz), and it isn’t 16 bits (that would be two bytes). Note also that in some modern encodings, a single character can require more than one byte, but the byte itself is still 8 bits.

Bytes are the units used to store data in a computer. A byte is made up of 8 bits, and that 8-bit group is typically used to hold one character in common encodings like ASCII. With 8 bits, a byte can represent 256 different values, which is enough to cover the standard characters and symbols we use.

That makes the statement about a byte being 8 bits and used to store a single character the best description. The other ideas don’t fit: a byte isn’t 4 bits, it isn’t a measure of frequency (that would be hertz), and it isn’t 16 bits (that would be two bytes). Note also that in some modern encodings, a single character can require more than one byte, but the byte itself is still 8 bits.