Kilo / Mega / Tera Byte Representation

Question

I was a bit confused about representing different units of bytes.

It is accepted that 1 byte = 8 bits.

However, in many sources I have seen that

1 kiloByte = 2 ^ 10 bytes = 1024 bytes

and

1 kilobyte = 1000 bytes

Doesn't this contradict , since in both cases it is indicated that 1 byte is 8 bits ...?

Different sources claim different reasons for these different views, so I'm not sure which is the most important / real reason for this rather confusing difference in presentation.

Can someone explain and clarify?

Answer 1

It is accepted that 1 byte = 8 bits

However, in many sources I have seen that

1 kiloByte = 2 ^ 10 bytes = 1024 bytes

and

1 kilobyte = 1000 bytes

, , : " 1024 1000 ?".

, , 1 8 ...?

.

, . SI () 1000 , k. k 1000, .

, , 2 10 1024, 1000. , 1024. , , 1024 ² ( 1000 ²) .. giga, tera ..

1000 1024 , , , . , = 1024, - . IEC : 1024 = kibi, 1024 ²= mebi, 1024 ³= gibi ..

, , kilo = 1024 SI kilo = 1000. kilo = 1024 , kibi = 1024. , // .. (, "512 " 536,9 .)

Btw, ; , .

:

• http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/binary.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilo-
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilobyte
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibibyte
• http://xkcd.com/394/

Answer 2

, . , :

" , , , 2. 10, 1024 = 2 ^ 10.

, , .

Answer 3

, , , 1 1024 1000 . . ( ) 1000, , .

The problem arises when you think of binary (base 2) or base 10. Base 10 would you use 1000, base 2, 1024.