How is bit pattern length related to the number of symbols the bit pattern can

represent?
Bits are binary (0 or 1) so the bit pattern length to the power of two is the number
of symbols it can hold. Take ASCII, this was originally seven bits long (1 + 2 + 4 +
8 + 16 + 32 + 64) so could hold 127 characters. It is nowadays eight bits long (+
128) so can hold 255 characters now. The relationship between length and number
of symbols is always calculable using (where length of bit pattern is L) L^².
In computers, the number system is nearly always binary, counting in base 2
(instead of base 10 as decimal does). Thus each bit has only 2 possibilities.
Therefore, one bit = 2 possible "symbols" (0 or 1). Add a 2nd bit, and it's 2^2 (4 ->
00 through to 11). A 3rd, and it's 2^3 (8 -> 000 through 111), 8 bits (byte = 2^8 =
256 -> 00000000 through 11111111), etc.
So the "relationship" between bit pattern length and number of symbols is
exponential - no matter what numbering system you use. The base of the exponent
is the same as the base of the numbering system (in fact that is why it's called the
numbering system's "base"). The exponent is simply the count of how many
digits(bits) are used. The result is the total number of possible "symbols".