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Digital Literacy Computer Basics Computer Basics Data

fundamental building blocks of computer

the fundamental building blocks of a computer is this idea of switch - on or off . what does this mean? plz explain I detail

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,184 Points

Try thinking of a "bit" of data as a light switch on the wall. If you turn the light "on", that could represent the number 1. And when you turn it "off", that could represent 0. And just like a light switch is either "on" or "off", a bit of data can only represent one of two values, 1 or 0.

Does that help?

yes absolutely it helped but I wanted to know why it is the fundamental building blocks of computer.

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,184 Points

It has to do with the physical nature of memory devices. The smallest unit of storage is a tiny piece of material that can be electrically put into either of two states. This is a single "bit". For more details, check out the Wikipedia page on Bit.