Certified Fiber Optics Practice Exam

What is a single binary digit referred to in computing?

1. Byte

2. Nibble

3. Bit

4. Word

The correct answer is: Bit

In computing, a single binary digit is referred to as a "bit." This term is fundamental to digital electronics and computing because it represents the most basic unit of information, which can exist in one of two states: 0 or 1. This binary nature is at the core of all binary code and data representation in computer systems. By contrast, a byte is made up of eight bits, which allows for a wider range of values to be represented (from 0 to 255 in decimal form). A nibble consists of four bits, essentially half of a byte. The term "word" varies in size depending on the architecture of the computer but generally refers to a group of bytes that a processor can handle as a single unit, which is typically larger than a single bit. Understanding this hierarchy of data sizes is crucial in the field of computing and helps clarify the relationships between different units of information.