| Kilobyte (Kb or KB or kbyte)
A kilobyte is 1024 or 210 bytes. In normal use, kilo means 1000 so a
kilovolt or kV is exactly 1000 volts. In the binary system, the nearest
column value to 1000 is 1024 since 29 = 512 and 210 = 1024.
The difference between 1000 and 1024 is fairly slight when we have only 1 or 2 Kb and the difference is easily ignored. However, as the numbers increase, so does the difference. The actual number of bytes in 42 Kb is actually 43 008 bytes (42 1024).
The move in the computing world to use an upper case K to mean 1024
rather than k for meaning 1000 is trying to address this problem.
Binary - the way micros count
Unfortunately, even the upper or lower case b is not standardized so
tread warily and look for clues to discover which value is being used. If
in doubt use 1024 if it is to do with microprocessors or computers.
Bits often help to confuse the situation even further. 1000 bits is a kilobit or kb. Sometimes 1024 bits is a Kb. One way to solve the bit/ byte problem is to use kbit (or Kbit) and kbyte (or Kbyte).
Share with your friends: | 
