How it works
Bits can represent numbers, text, images, audio, colors, and other information when a system agrees on the format.
Identify whether a question is asking about binary values, text encoding, image pixels, or file size.
Common error
Do not treat representation, encryption, compression, and hashing as the same operation.
Worked example
Interpret a short binary value and an uncompressed image representation.
Data / pseudocode
Binary: 10110
Place values: 16 8 4 2 1
Image: 20 by 10 pixels, 8 bits per pixel10110 represents 16 + 4 + 2 = 22. The pixel payload requires 20 * 10 * 8 = 1600 bits, or 200 bytes. This calculation excludes file headers and other metadata; actual file size can differ.
Exercises
2.1.1
Convert binary 11001 to decimal and state the number of distinct values representable with five bits.
Show solution
11001 equals 16 + 8 + 1 = 25. Five bits provide 2^5 = 32 distinct bit patterns.
2.1.2
How many bytes of uncompressed pixel data are needed for a 16 by 16 image with 24 bits per pixel, excluding headers?
Show solution
16 * 16 * 24 = 6144 bits. Dividing by 8 gives 768 bytes.