How many bits make up a byte?

A byte is a fundamental unit of digital information storage and processing in computing. It is universally defined as consisting of 8 bits. Each bit in a byte can hold a binary value of either 0 or 1, which allows a byte to represent a wide range of values, specifically from 0 to 255 in decimal notation (since 2^8 = 256). This size makes a byte a convenient unit for encoding a single character in text, as well as for representing small numbers or colors in graphics.

This definition of a byte being made up of 8 bits is crucial in various aspects of computer science and programing, as it underlines how data is stored, processed, and transmitted. Understanding this concept is key to grasping more complex computing topics, such as memory addressing, data types, and file sizes.