encoding non-numeric data Flashcards
What is the fundamental unit of computer memory?
A long string of bits.
Why do we group bits into chunks?
to efficiently represent larger pieces of data like numbers, characters, or instructions within a computer system
What is the smallest useful chunk of memory?
1 byte (8 bits).
What are common fixed-length binary number sizes?
8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit.
What is the total number of values an n-bit binary number can store?
2^n values.
What is the range of an 8-bit unsigned number?
0 to 255 (2^8 - 1).
What happens if an 8-bit binary number overflows?
It results in an unsigned overflow error.
How do we convert long binary numbers into shorthand notation?
By grouping them into 4-bit (hex) or 3-bit (octal) chunks.
What is endianness in memory storage?
It defines the order in which bytes are stored in memory.
Why do computers store non-numeric data?
To encode text, images, and logic operations.
What is ASCII?
A 7-bit character encoding standard with 128 unique values.
What is Unicode?
An extended character encoding standard supporting multiple languages.
What is UTF-8?
A Unicode encoding format that uses variable-length encoding.
How are Boolean values represented in memory?
Using 1 bit (0 for False, 1 for True) but often stored in entire bytes.
What are the primary components of color in digital images?
Red, Green, and Blue (RGB).
How many colors can be represented in an 8-bit color system?
256 colors.
What is the color depth of 24-bit color?
16,777,216 colors (True color).
When referring to little-endian, where do we start our ordering?
We start at the Least siginificant Byte (LSB) first going from right to left for example in the 32-bit integer 0A0B0C0D, we start at 0D, 0C, …
When referring to Big-endian, where do we start our ordering?
We start at the most significant Byte (MSB) and move from left to right, for example in the 32-bit integer 0A0B0C0D, we would start with 0A, 0B, …
For uppercase characters in ASCII, what decimal do we start and end at?
we start at 65 and end at 90
(‘A’ is encoded as 65)
For Lowercase letters, what decimal do we start at and what decimal do we end at?
we start 97 and end at 122
(‘a’ is encoded as 97)
In ASCII, when converting from lowercase to uppercase (of the same letter), what do we do to get the uppercase decimal?
subtract 32
In ASCII, when converting from uppercase to lowercase (of the same letter), what do we do to get the lowercase decimal?
add 32
Difference between ASCII and Unicode
ASCII: 7-bit encoding, supports 128 characters.
Unicode: Supports thousands of characters across different languages, using UTF-8, UTF-16, or UTF-32 encoding.
