How many bits are there in one byte?

One byte is composed of 8 bits. This is a fundamental concept in computer science and information technology. A bit is the smallest unit of data in computing, representing a binary state of either 0 or 1. When multiple bits are grouped together, they form larger units of data, with a byte being a standard grouping of 8 bits. This grouping allows for the representation of 256 different values (from 00000000 to 11111111 in binary), which is crucial for encoding characters, numbers, and various types of data in computer systems.

The other options reflect differing amounts of bits, which do not correspond to the definition of a byte. For example, 4 bits would be considered a nibble, while 16 bits and 32 bits represent larger units often referred to as half a word and a word in computing, respectively. Understanding that a byte is always 8 bits is essential for grasping larger concepts in data representation and memory architecture.