Units of Storage in Computer

TOPIC: Units of Storage in Computer

CLASS: JSS Two

Definition of Computer Units of Storage

Units of storage in the computer are the denominators used to quantify the volume of data or instructions in a computer or on a storage medium.
Data can be stored in the computer through several methods using varying electronic components. Some of these components include Hard disk, Compact disk, Flash drive, Floppy disk, Random Access Memory (RAM), etc.

Some units of storage in the computer include:

i. Bit (b): Bits is an acronym that stands for Binary digITS. It is the Smallest Unit of data on a binary computer. A single bit consists of 0 (zero) or 1 (one).
ii. Nibble (nybble, nyble, or nybl): A nibble is a collection of four bits.
iii. Bytes (B): A byte consists of eight bits. It is the smallest item that can be individually accessed by a program. It is the fundamental unit of storage on a binary computer.
iv. Word: A word is a collection of 32 bits.
v. Kilobyte (KB): A Kilobyte consists of 2¹⁰ (1,024) Bytes which is approximately 1000 Bytes.
vi. Megabyte (MB): One Megabyte consists of 2²⁰ (1,048,576) Bytes.
vii. Gigabyte (GB): A Gigabyte is a collection of 2³⁰ (1,073,741,824) Bytes.
viii. Terabyte (TB): A Terabyte consists of 2⁴⁰ (1,099,511,627,776) Bytes.
ix. Petabyte (PB): A Petabyte consists of 2⁵⁰ (1,125,899,906,842,624) Bytes.
x. Exabyte (EB): An Exabyte consists of 2⁶⁰ (1,152,921,504,606,846,976) Bytes.
xi. Zettabyte (ZB): A Zettabyte consists of 2⁷⁰ (1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424) Bytes.
xii. Yottabyte (YB): A Yottabyte consists of 2⁸⁰ (1,208,925,819,614,629,174,706,176) Bytes.

Conversion from One Unit to Another

The conversion process from one unit to another can be done using the relationships below.
1 bit = 0 or 1
1 nibble = 4 bits
1 bytes = 8 bits
1 word = 16 bits
1 kilobyte = 1024 bytes
1 MB = 1024 KB
1 GB = 1024 MB
1 TB = 1024 GB
1 PB = 1024 TB
1 EB = 1024 PB
1 ZB = 1024 EB
1 YB = 1024 ZB

Example 1
Convert 1200bits to byte
Solution
We are required to convert 1200 bits to byte
Let the unknown byte be x
It implies that;
1200bits = xbyte
The relationship between bits and bytes is
8bits = 1 byte
Cross multiplying we have
xbyte × 8bits = 1200bits × 1byte
Divide both sides by the coefficient of the unknown unit of storage which is the 8bits
$\frac{x \times 8bits}{8bits} =\frac{1200bits \times 1byte}{8bits}$
$xbyte =\frac{1200byte}{8}$
xbyte = 150bytes
Therefore 1200bits = 150bytes

Example 2
Convert 30KB to byte
Solution
We are required to convert 30KB to byte
Let the unknown byte be x
It implies that;
30KB = xbyte
The relationship between kb and byte is
1KB = 1024byte
Cross multiplying we have
xbyte × 1KB = 30KB × 1024byte
Divide both sides by the coefficient of the unknown unit of storage which is the 1 kb
(xbyte × 1KB)/(1KB) = (30KB × 1024byte)/(1KB)
xbyte = 30 × 1024bytes
xbyte = 30720bytes
Therefore 30kb = 30720bytes

Example 3
Convert 10240 KB to MB
Solution
We are required to convert 10240 to kilobyte
Let the unknown kilobyte be x
It implies that;
10240KB = xMB
The relationship between KB and MB is
1024KB = 1MB
Cross multiplying we have
xMB × 1024KB = 10240KB × 1MB
Divide both sides by the coefficient of the unknown unit of storage which is the 1024 byte
(xMB × 1024KB)/(1024KB) = (10240KB × 1MB)/(1024KB)
xMB = (10240 × 1MB)/1024
xKB = 10MB
Therefore 10240KB =10MB

Example 4
Convert 1.22 MB to Byte (B)
Solution
We are required to convert 1.22 MB to B
Let the unknown B be x
It implies that;
1.22 MB = xB
The relationship between MB and B is
1MB = 1024 × 1024B
1MB = 1048576B
Cross multiplying we have
xB × 1MB = 1.22 MB × 1048576B
Divide both sides by the coefficient of the unknown unit of storage which is the 1MB
(xB × 1MB)/(1MB) = (1.22 MB × 1048576B)/(1MB)
xB = (1.22 × 1048576B)/1
xB = 1279262.72B
Therefore 1.22 MB = 1279262.72B

Difference between Kilometer, Kilogram and Kilobyte

Kilometre, Kilogramme and kilobytes are different units of measurement used for different purposes.
1. To measure distance travelled from one place to another, a unit of distance must be used, which is the metre, and one of its multiples is the kilometre. i.e. 1km = 1000m =10³m
2. To measure the quantity or weight of an object, a unit of weight must be used, which is the gramme, and one of its multiple is the kilogramme. i.e. 1kg = 1000g = 10³g
3. To measure the amount of space that is required for a document or data to be held temporarily or permanently in a storage medium, a unit of storage must be used which is the byte, and one of its multiples is the kilobyte. i.e 1 KB = 1024 B
From the above, it follows that Kilometre (Km), Kilogramme (Kg) and Kilobyte (KB) are units of different parameters.