| word | kilobyte |
|---|---|
| definition | A unit of computer information equal to 1,024 bytes. |
| eg_sentence | A 200-word paragraph in the simplest text format takes up about a kilobyte of storage space on your hard drive. |
| explanation | Knowing the root kilo-, you might think a kilobyte would be exactly 1,000 bytes. But actually a kilobyte represents the power of 2 that comes closest to 1,000: that is, 210 (2 to the 10th power), or 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2, or 1,024. Why 2? Because the capacity of memory chips is always based on powers of 2. Locations in electronic memory circuits are identified by binary numbers (numbers that use only the digits 0 and 1), so the number of addressable locations becomes a power of 2 |
| IPA | ˈkɪloʊˌbaɪt |
Tags: mwvb::unit:26, mwvb::unit:26:word, mwvb::word, mwvb::word-cloze, mwvb::word-reverse, obsidian_to_anki
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