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Short for binary digit, the smallest unit of [[information]] on most [[digital]] [[computer]]s. The term was first used in [[1946]] by [[John Tukey]], a leading statistician and adviser to [[five]] [[president]]s. A single bit can hold only one of two values: '''0 or 1'''. More meaningful information is obtained by combining consecutive bits into larger units. For example, 8 consecutive bits is usually referred to as a "[[byte]]". (Half a byte, i.e., 4 bits, is usually called a [[nybble]] or nibble). |
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#REDIRECT [[bit]] |
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[http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/b/bit.html Webopedia:Bit] |
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[[Category:Definitions]] |
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[[Category:Computer]] |
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Revision as of 12:45, 30 May 2006
Short for binary digit, the smallest unit of information on most digital computers. The term was first used in 1946 by John Tukey, a leading statistician and adviser to five presidents. A single bit can hold only one of two values: 0 or 1. More meaningful information is obtained by combining consecutive bits into larger units. For example, 8 consecutive bits is usually referred to as a "byte". (Half a byte, i.e., 4 bits, is usually called a nybble or nibble).