Storage ladder, from smallest at the top to largest at the bottom: bit ↓ nibble ↓ byte ↓ kB ↓ MB ↓ GB ↓ TB ↓ PB.

When converting a value:

• Moving up the ladder means moving to a smaller unit, so multiply.
  • nibble → bit: $\times 4$
  • byte → nibble: $\times 2$
  • byte → bit: $\times 8$
  • between byte-based units such as byte, kB, MB, GB, TB, and PB: $\times 1,000$ per step
• Moving down the ladder means moving to a larger unit, so divide.
  • bit → nibble: $÷4$
  • nibble → byte: $÷2$
  • bit → byte: $÷8$
  • between byte-based units such as byte, kB, MB, GB, TB, and PB: $÷1,000$ per step

Computers store all data as binary, using only 0 and 1. A bit is one binary digit, 4 bits make a nibble, and 8 bits make a byte. Software interprets patterns of bits as text, images, sound, or instructions.