Bits and Bytes

Bits and Bytes

A byte is 8 Bits!

0 is a bit
0110 is 4 bits (a nibble)

01100101 is a Byte
Kibibytes and Kilobytes
1 KiB = 1024 Bytes NOT 1000 Bytes!!

A kibibyte, or KiB, is a unit of data that equals 1024 bytes, (= 210 bytes)

The difference is because the term was coined by computer scientists

and powers of 2 do not fit into 1000 neatly

Using the decimal system in binary computing would be very wasteful.

Kilobits?
What about kilobits?
Your network will provide you with an X kbps connection
(or Mbps, eg “I’ve got a 30 Mbps connection”)

kbps = kilo bits per second

1 kbps = 1000 bits per second

Questions
1. How many bits are there in 5 Bytes?

2. How many bits are there in 100 Bytes?

3. I have 1024 bits. How many Bytes do I have?

4. I have 4096 bits. How many Kilobytes do I have?

Questions
1. How many bits are there in 5 bytes?
5x8=40 bits
2. How many bits are there in 100 bytes?
100x8=800 bits
3. I have 1024 bits. How many bytes do I have?
1024 / 8 = 128 bytes
4. I have 4096 bits. How many Kilobytes do I have?
4096/8 = 512 bytes. 512/1024 = 0.5 kilobytes
Further Questions
5. I have a 56kbps internet connection. If it runs at full
speed, how long will it take to download 56,000 bits?
Further Questions
5. I have a 56kbps internet connection. If it runs at full
speed, how long will it take to download 56,000 bits?

Well, 56kpbs means 56,000 bits per second

(remember 1 kbps = 1000 bits per second)

So, it will take 1 second to download 56,000 bits

Further Questions
6. I have a 56kbps internet connection. If it runs at full
speed, how long will it take to download 560,000 bits?
Further Questions
6. I have a 56kbps internet connection. If it runs at full
speed, how long will it take to download 560,000 bits?

Well, 56kpbs means 56,000 bits per second

So, it will take 560,000 / 56,000 = 10 seconds

Further Questions
7. I have a 56kbps internet connection. If it runs at full
speed, how long will it take to download a 5MB image?
Further Questions
7. I have a 56kbps internet connection. If it runs at full
speed, how long will it take to download a 5MB image?

5 MB = 5 x 1024 = 5,120 KB
= 5 x 1024 x 1024 = 5,242,880 bytes
= 5 x 1024 x 1024 x 8 = 41,943,040 bits

At 56,000 kpbs it will take 41,943,040 / 56,000 = 749s = 12.5 minutes

Further Questions
8. I have a 56Mbps internet connection. If it runs at full
speed, how long will it take to download a 5MB image?
Further Questions
8. I have a 56Mbps internet connection. If it runs at full
speed, how long will it take to download a 5MB image?

5 MB = 5 x 1024 = 5,120 KB
= 5 x 1024 x 1024 = 5,242,880 bytes
= 5 x 1024 x 1024 x 8 = 41,943,040 bits

At 56,000,000 bps it will take 41,943,040 / 56,000,000 = 0.75 seconds

Further Questions
9. I have a 100Mbps internet connection.
On average, it runs at about 50% of its full speed
I want to download Max Payne 3 which is 35GB.
Will it download within 24 hours for my gaming party?
9. I have a 100Mbps internet connection. On average, it runs at about 50% of
its full speed. I want to download Max Payne 3 which is 35GB. Will it download
within 24 hours for my gaming party?

35 GB = 35 x 1024 = 35,840 MB
= 35 x 1024 x 1024 = 36,700,160 KB
= 35 x 1024 x 1024 x 1024 = 37,580,963,840 bytes
= 35 x 1024 x 1024 x 1024 x 8 = 300,647,710,720 bits

If the connection runs at 50% of 100 Mbps, it runs at 50,000,000 bps

So it will take 300,647,710,720 / 50,000,000 = 6013 s = 100 mins = 1.7 hours

Therefore YES, the game will download in time for the party!
Prep
1. Measure your network speed in your room
(use speedtest.net or search for similar tools online)

2. Estimate the maximum amount of data that could be

transferred if every boy in Harrow downloaded at full
speed for 24 hours.

If you have one, try this on your smartphone too!