← Years 7–8 Data & Information

Looking up characters in the ASCII table

A standard table that gives every character a number, such as A = 65 and a = 97, so computers can store text as binary. Lowercase codes are 32 more than capitals.

Part of: 7-8 Digital Technologies: Representing data with binary — Module 14, IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 1.2 Text, Sound and Images — Module 6, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Representing Text, Images and Sound — Module 16

Understanding Looking up characters in the ASCII table in Years 7–8 Data & Information

What it does: A space between words is a character too, and ASCII gives it the code 32. 65 = 64 + 1, so the 64 place and the 1 place are on. In 8 bits that is 01000001. Capital A is 65. The number 97 is the code for lowercase a. Lowercase codes are 32 more than capitals, so 67 + 32 = 99. Taking 32 away would give 35, which is the wrong direction. The character '0' is 48, so '5' is 48 + 5 = 53. The character '5' is text, so its code is not the same as the number 5.

Common mistakes: In ASCII the capital letters count up one at a time from A = 65. So B = 66 and C = 67, not 76. Lowercase codes are 32 MORE than capital codes, so you add 32. 65 + 32 = 97, which is a.

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Learning
Duo
What is the ASCII code for the capital letter A?
9765
Matches
A = 65, a = 98
↓
Lowercase a should be 97, not 98. Lowercase is 32 more than the capital, so 65 + 32 = 97.
Applying
Meanings
Term
ASCII
Meaning
A standard table that gives every character a number, such as A = 65 and a = 97, so computers can store text as binary. Lowercase codes are 32 more than capitals.
Practice
A = 65
Testing
Gaps
ASCII: A = , B = 66, C = 67
Check Answer
Spots
2B = 66
3C = 76

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Quick Questions

1. What is the ASCII code for the capital letter A?
A. 65 ✓
B. 97
Capital A is 65. The number 97 is the code for lowercase a.
2. Capital C has the ASCII code 67. What is the code for lowercase c?
A. 99 ✓
B. 35
Lowercase codes are 32 more than capitals, so 67 + 32 = 99. Taking 32 away would give 35, which is the wrong direction.
3. What is the ASCII code for the digit character '5'?
A. 53 ✓
B. 5
The character '0' is 48, so '5' is 48 + 5 = 53. The character '5' is text, so its code is not the same as the number 5.
4. Which ASCII code is the space character?
A. 0
B. 32 ✓
A space is a character too, so it gets its own code. In ASCII it is 32.
5. Which codes spell the word CAT in capitals?
A. 99 97 116
B. 67 65 84 ✓
C = 67, A = 65 and T = 84. The codes 99 97 116 spell the lowercase word cat.

Match the Pairs

A = 65, B = 66, C = 67 → In the ASCII table, capital letters have consecutive codes starting at 65
a = 97 → The ASCII code for lowercase a, which is 32 more than capital A (65)
The space character has its own ASCII code, so it can be stored like any other character → space = 32
The letter A (code 65) written as an 8-bit binary number → 01000001
A = 65, a = 98 → Lowercase a should be 97, not 98. Lowercase is 32 more than the capital, so 65 + 32 = 97.
The digit character '5' has the ASCII code 5 → The digit character '5' is text with its own code, 53. It is not the number 5. The digit '0' has code 48, so '5' is 48 + 5 = 53.

Key Term

ASCII
A standard table that gives every character a number, such as A = 65 and a = 97, so computers can store text as binary. Lowercase codes are 32 more than capitals.

Fill in the Blanks

1. ASCII: A = 65, B = 66, C = 67
Hint: Type the ASCII code for the capital letter A.
2. a = 97, so A = 97 - 32 = 65
Hint: Type the number that separates a lowercase code from its capital code.
3. The ASCII code for a space is 32
Hint: Type the ASCII code of the space character.
4. '0' = 48, '1' = 49, '2' = 50
Hint: Type the ASCII code for the digit character zero, which comes just before the code for one.
5. A = 65 = 01000001 in 8-bit binary
Hint: Type the 8-bit binary number that matches the code for A.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A A = 65
B B = 66
C C = 76
D D = 68
Line C — In ASCII the capital letters count up one at a time from A = 65. So B = 66 and C = 67, not 76.
Question 2
A capital ← 65
B lower ← capital - 32
C PRINT lower
Line B — Lowercase codes are 32 MORE than capital codes, so you add 32. 65 + 32 = 97, which is a.
Question 3
A 'B' has code 66
B add 32 to get lowercase
C 66 + 32 = 98
D 'b' has code 97
Line D — B is 66, and adding 32 gives 98 for lowercase b. The code 97 belongs to a.
Question 4
A '0' = 0
B '1' = 49
C '2' = 50
Line A — The digit character '0' is text, so ASCII gives it its own code, 48. It is not the number 0.
Question 5
A ' ' = 0
B 'A' = 65
C 'a' = 97
Line A — The space character is a real character with its own ASCII code, 32. It is not 0.

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