A computer has a 1024K memory. What does the letterK stand for 1024.
K is short for kilo. It is used to represent both1000 and 1024. 1024 is used only in measuring bits/bytes. It is so because 1024is very close to 1000 but it is the exact 210 in computer science. When youmeasure other quantities like currency and years, k represents 1000 only.
In computing, K can either be 1000 or 1024,depending on the context in which K is used. For example, K is 1000 here: “Myprogram has 50K lines of code”.
In this sentence, K is 1024: “This program takes up250K bytes in memory”.In contexts other than computing (and by extension,software development) K is *more or less* interpreted as 1000, like in“Prashant earns 350K INR annually.” or “Coldplay tickets priced starting 25K.”
FAQs
K is short for kilo. It is used to represent both 1000 and 1024. 1024 is used only in measuring bits/bytes. It is so because 1024 is very close to 1000 but it is the exact 210 in computer science.
What does 1024k mean? ›
In this convention, one thousand and twenty-four kilobytes (1024 KB) is equal to one megabyte (1 MB), where 1 MB is 10242 bytes.
What is the K unit of memory in a computer? ›
Computer capacity-both that of primary memory and secondary storage devices-- is measured in bytes and expressed as a number followed by the symbol K or KB. 1KB stands for 1,024 bytes. The convention of using K to represent a count of 1,024 units is common in discussions of computer storage.
What is K in memory size? ›
4.6
Unit of Memory | Abbreviation | Exact Memory Amount |
---|
Kilobyte | KB or K | 1024 bytes |
Megabyte | MB | 1024 KB |
Gigabyte | GB | 1024 MB |
Terabyte | TB | 1024 GB |
2 more rowsJun 11, 2020
Does k mean 1024? ›
K is short for kilo, which means (in base 10) one thousand. However K can also stand for kilobit or kilobyte, in which case it stands for 2 to the power of 10, or 1024. The alphabet "K" is used as an abbreviation of Kilo which means 1000.
What does K mean in computer storage? ›
A kilobyte is made up of either 1,000 or 1,024 bytes. This distinction can be a little tricky and has to do with the difference between binary math (which computers rely on) and base-10 math (which most humans use in daily life). In practical terms, both definitions of kilobyte are used.
What does K stand for in bytes? ›
Kilobytes (KB) "K" is frequently used to denote kilobytes, with 1 KB typically referring to 1,024 bytes in computer memory contexts. However, in data storage, it may also mean 1,000 bytes.
Why is memory 1024? ›
When combining two bits they can have state 00, 01, 10 or 11. Thus 2^2 states. That's why memory capacities comes in powers of 2. 10 bits equal 2^10 different possible states, which is 1024 different states.
What does 1k mean in memory? ›
Originally, a byte was considered a collection of 8 bits, the smallest number of bits that were able to express a number, letter or character within binary. A kilobyte is approximately 1,000 bytes (specifically, 2 to the 10th power or, in decimal form, 1,024 bytes).
How much is K in memory? ›
One kilobyte (KB) is a collection of about 1000 bytes. A page of ordinary Roman alphabetic text takes about 2 kilobytes to store (about one byte per letter).
The kelvin, symbol K, is the base unit of measurement for temperature in the International System of Units (SI). The Kelvin scale is an absolute temperature scale that starts from 0 K, the coldest possible temperature (absolute zero), then rises by exactly 1 K for each 1 °C.
What do k and m mean in memory? ›
K comes from the Greek word kilo which means a thousand. The Greeks would likewise show million as M, short for Mega. So if we stay consistent with the Greek abbreviations, then billion would be shown as a letter G (Giga). Think of your computer expressing bytes of memory as kilobyte, megabyte, or gigabyte.
What does K mean in file size? ›
Kilobyte. The kilobyte is the smallest unit of memory measurement but greater than a byte. A kilobyte is 103 or 1,000 bytes abbreviated as 'K' or 'KB'. It antecedes the Mega Byte, which contains 1,000,000 bytes.
Is K bigger than GB? ›
One of the most common daily data metrics is the gigabyte (GB). A megabyte (MB) is proclaimed to be 1,000 kilobytes (KB), although it is really 1,024 kilobytes (KB), while a gigabyte (GB) is likewise said to be 1,000 kilobytes (KB).
What is the capital K in memory? ›
In computer literature, a kilobyte is usually abbreviated as K or KB. To distinguish between a decimal K (1,000) and a binary K (1,024), the IEEE has suggested following the convention of using a small k for a decimal kilo and a capital Kfor a binary kilo, but this convention is by no means strictly followed.
What is K in computing? ›
What does 'K' stand for in computer memory? - Quora. In reference to computers, “K” traditionally meant 1024, 2**10. In non-computer use, “K” is the shorthand for mil, or thousand, from the prefixes used for the Metric system of measurement. Think “kilometer”.
Is 1k 1000 or 1024? ›
If it is how to evaluate hard drives, etc. then K=1000 works now. For most programming, however, K=210=1024 is probably best. Sadly, the dual meanings is likely due to manufacturers trying to avoid confusion in the minds of unsophisticated customers.
What is K in terms of file size? ›
The term kilobyte is generally used to describe small amounts of data stored on computers as well as small files. Types of files with a smaller average file size that tend to be measured in kilobytes include short emails, images and short papers or Microsoft Word documents.