A character in a computer coding scheme.A byte is a unique set of adjacent bits with a unique meaning in a computer coding scheme. A byte generally comprises eight (8) bits that represent a letter in an alphabet (e.g., a, A, z, or Z), a diacritical mark (e.g., ~ or `), a single digit number (e.g., 0, 1, 2, or 3), a punctuation mark (e.g., ,, ., or !), or a control character (e.g., paragraph break, page break, or carriage return).The size of a byte is specific to the coding scheme involved. For example, ACSII employs a coding scheme of seven (7) bits, so a byte is actually seven information bits, although the addition of a parity bit Bridge < 500 m < 2.5 km Terminator for error control results in a byte of eight (8) bits for storage and transmission purposes. An EBCDIC byte is truly eight (8) information bits. Unicode variously employs eight (8) and 16 bits. Computers create, store, manage, and output information in bytes.The origin of the term is uncertain, although it is certain that Dr. Werner Buchholz originated the term byte in 1956 when working for IBM on the STRETCH computer. Some suggest that byte is an alteration and contraction of bit, referring to the basic unit of information, and bite, referring to a morsel or chunk of data consumable by the early computer eight-bit processors. Others suggest byte is an acronym formed from binary digit eight. Still others suggest that byte is short for binary term. Computing and storage systems measure memory and storage capacities in bytes. For example, a kB (kiloByte) is actually 1,024 (2 10 ) bytes, since the measurement is based on a base 2, or binary, number system.The term kB comes from the fact that 1,024 is nominally, or approximately, 1,000. So, 64 kB of memory is actually 1,024