bit

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bit Abbreviation for binary digit, a 1 or 0 used in binary arithmetic. In computing, a bit is the smallest element of storage. Groups of bits form a byte of binary code representing letters and other characters. Binary code is used in computing because it is easy to represent each 1 or 0 by the presence or absence of an electrical voltage. The code is also easy to store on disk as a magnetic or optical pattern.

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