The work of each electronic computer is built on a binary number system. A PC can only process information digitally. Therefore, the machine perceives the data in the form of zeros and ones. Their sequence is called binary (in translation from English binary bigit, most users use the abbreviated bit).
Basic units of information. What is MB?
Table 1. Information units
| 1 byte | 8 bit | 2 3 bit |
| 1 Kb (kilobytes) | 1024 bytes | 2 10 bytes = 2 13 bits |
| 1 MB (megabytes) | 1024 Kb | 2 10 Kb = 2 20 bytes = 2 23 bits |
| 1 GB (gigabytes) | 1024 Mb | 2 10 MB = 2 20 KB = 2 30 bytes = 2 33 bits |
Bit is the basic unit for measuring the amount of information in a PC. It can have a value of one or zero. The next unit is a byte (eight consecutive bits). Bytes measure text, video, graphics. A kilobyte equals 1024 bytes, and 1 kilobyte contains 8192 bits. What is MB? This is a unit of information that equals a value of 1024 kilobytes.
Controversial issues regarding the term megabytes
Some scholars believe that the term “megabytes” is not entirely correct. Indeed, judging by its name, one megabyte should equal one million bytes. In this case, this unit should be called "mebibyte". But in the C system, “mega” is 10 to the sixth power, and megabytes are considered equal to 1048576 bytes.
A magnitude like mebibyte is two to the twentieth power. It was recognized and standardized only in 1998. Despite the obvious mathematical calculations, the value of 1048576 bytes is still called a megabyte. Although, in fact, this is a mebibyte value. Now it’s too late to change the system of units of data, because millions of users are accustomed to it, not dedicated to the subtleties of its formation. But to study this aspect, no doubt, is necessary.
Why are many users mistaken about what MB is and what information capacity is available to it? Most likely, the first mistakes were made in the 20th century, when the capacity label on the floppy disks reported 1.44 MB (and in the C system this value was equal to 1440000 bytes). But in fact, the amount of data on these storage media was equal to 1474560 bytes or 1474 kilobytes. The prefixes of different quantities were combined, which led to values that simply cannot be correctly calculated. In practice, the declared volume of floppy disks did not correspond to reality, which was the impetus for the following errors in the measurement of information. Now you know what MB is. A short digression into the history of units of information will help you better understand the intricacies of operating systems.
What is MB in VK?
Often the term "megabytes" is abbreviated and used analogue - MB. It saves time and internet traffic. In addition, the word "mb" is often used on the VKontakte website as an abbreviated form of the phrase "maybe." For example, in a dialogue or conversation, such an action makes communication more dynamic and, again, saves time.
Traffic and megabytes: common ground
From the English language, the word traffic is translated as "traffic". In the information sphere, this term means the amount of data in kilobytes that the server accepted for a certain period, and is used in various fields. There is a concept of website traffic, that is, the value of its traffic, search engine traffic, transmitted information, etc.
It can be measured not only in megabytes, but also in gigabytes, kilobytes. There are two types of traffic:
- outgoing (the data that the server sends);
- incoming (the amount of data received).
What is traffic (MB)? This is the amount of information received or sent over a given period of time. If you do not have unlimited Internet, then you just need to count the traffic (that is, the received data in megabytes). 1 Mb equals, for example, viewing about 30 pages on the Internet, this is about 400 pages of text or 4-5 pictures.