2

Computer
Memory
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, You will be able to:

 Discuss about computer memory

 List the measuring units of computer memory
 List the types of memory: Primary and
secondary
 List the various types of external storage
devices

The capacity of a computer to store data and information is called its memory. it is used to store
the input as well as the processing outputs of a computer. A computer has a large memory. We
can easily store text, pictures, games, audio and video files in the computer memory. We can
easily to give instructions to the computer; these instructions get converted into a new language
known as machine language. It is in the form of 0’s and 1’s.The computer only understands the
language of 0’s 1’s. The digits 0 and 1 are known as binary digits or bits.

As, you measure heights in feets and inches, weights in grams or kilograms, similarly a
computer’s memory is measured in byte. A byte consists of a group of 8 bits, other units for
measuring the computer’s memory are kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, etc.

1 Byte = 8 bits

1 Nibble = 4 bits

1 kilobyte = 1024 bytes

1 Mega byte = 1024 kilobytes

1 Gigabyte = 1024 Megabyte

1 Terabyte = 1024 Gigabyte