How many bits are in a byte?

A byte is a fundamental unit of digital information that consists of 8 bits. In computing, a bit is the smallest unit of data and can represent a value of either 0 or 1. When these bits are grouped together to form a byte, they create a larger unit of data representation, which is capable of encoding a single character, such as a letter or number, in the ASCII standard.

The significance of a byte being 8 bits allows for the representation of 256 different values (from 0 to 255), making it a standard measure for data size in computers and digital communications. This fundamental relationship between bits and bytes is crucial for understanding how data is processed and stored in computer systems. Understanding that a byte comprises specifically 8 bits is essential knowledge for anyone studying computer science and data communications.