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Single conversion
To convert from Byte (byte) to Kilobit (kb), use the following formula:
With is the ratio between the base units Bit (bit) and Byte (byte).
Let's convert 5 Byte (byte) to Kilobit (kb).
Using the formula:
Therefore, 5 Byte (byte) is equal to Kilobit (kb).
Here are some quick reference conversions from Byte (byte) to Kilobit (kb):
| Bytes | Kilobits |
|---|---|
| 0.000001 byte | kb |
| 0.001 byte | kb |
| 0.1 byte | kb |
| 1 byte | kb |
| 2 byte | kb |
| 3 byte | kb |
| 4 byte | kb |
| 5 byte | kb |
| 6 byte | kb |
| 7 byte | kb |
| 8 byte | kb |
| 9 byte | kb |
| 10 byte | kb |
| 20 byte | kb |
| 30 byte | kb |
| 40 byte | kb |
| 50 byte | kb |
| 100 byte | kb |
| 1000 byte | kb |
| 10000 byte | kb |
For all Digital converters, choose units using the From/To dropdowns above.
A byte is a fundamental unit of digital information.
It is the standard building block used by computers to represent data such as text, numbers, and images.
A byte is almost universally composed of 8 bits.
A single bit is the smallest unit of data in a computer, represented as either a 0 or a 1.
Grouping these bits into a set of 8 allows computers to represent a broader range of values, forming the foundation for storing and processing data.
The term "byte" was created in 1956 by Dr. Werner Buchholz during the development of the IBM Stretch computer.
He deliberately spelled it with a "y" to avoid accidental confusion with the term "bit."
It was intended to represent a "bite-sized" chunk of data, specifically the amount needed to encode a single character.
Because a byte contains 8 bits, a single byte can represent 28, or 256 different possible values.
These values can range from 0 (binary 00000000) to 255 (binary 11111111).
This is why standards like ASCII use a byte to represent a single character, such as the letter 'A' or the symbol '$'.
From bytes, we build larger units you're likely familiar with, like kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), and gigabytes (GB).
A kilobit (kb) is a unit of digital information equal to 1,000 bits.
It's one of the basic building blocks for measuring digital data.
A common point of confusion is the difference between a kilobit (kb) and a kilobyte (KB).
The key is the capitalization of the letter 'b'. Since one byte is made up of eight bits, a kilobyte is eight times larger than a kilobit.
Think of it like this:
Here's a simple breakdown:
Historically, computing has used different counting systems, which has led to two definitions for a kilobit.
In telecommunications and data transfer, a kilobit strictly follows the decimal system, meaning 1 kilobit (kb) = 1,000 bits. This is the most common definition used today.
However, in some computing contexts like measuring memory, a binary system was used, where 1 kilobit could equal 1,024 bits (210 bits).
To resolve this ambiguity, the term kibibit (Kib) was introduced to specifically denote 1,024 bits. However, 'kilobit' is still widely used in general terms.
The most common real-world application for kilobits is measuring data transfer rates, like your internet connection speed.
Speeds are often expressed in kilobits per second (kbps) or the more common megabits per second (Mbps), where 1 Mbps equals 1,000 kbps.
For example, an older dial-up connection might have a speed of 56 kbps, while a basic broadband plan might be 25 Mbps (or 25,000 kbps).
This measurement tells you how much data can be transferred every second.