← IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1

Gibibyte (GiB)

A gibibyte (GiB) is a unit of data storage equal to 1024 mebibytes (MiB). A film or memory stick is often a few GiB. The gibi prefix means 1024 cubed bytes.

Part of: IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 1.3 Data Storage and Compression — Module 5

Understanding Gibibyte (GiB) in IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1

What it does: Going from a larger unit (GiB) to a smaller unit (MiB) gives a bigger number, so you multiply by 1024. Storage units go up in steps of 1024, so 1 GiB = 1024 MiB. A GiB is 1024 times bigger than a MiB. The order is byte, KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB. KiB is below MiB, GiB is above it. 1024 KiB is only 1 MiB. A GiB is 1024 MiB. Films and memory sticks hold billions of bytes, so a few GiB is realistic. A few bits is far too small. Multiply by 1024, not 1000: 2 x 1024 = 2048 MiB.

Common mistakes: The value in gib is a number of gibibytes (3072 MiB DIV 1024 = 3), so the label must be " GiB", not " MiB". A gibibyte is 1024 mebibytes, not 1000. Storage units in this system use 1024, so the line should be mibPerGib ← 1024.

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Learning
Duo
How many mebibytes (MiB) are in 1 gibibyte (GiB)?
1024 MiB1000 MiB
Matches
1 GiB = 1000 MiB
↓
Storage units go up in steps of 1024, not 1000. A gibibyte is 1024 MiB.
Applying
Meanings
Term
gibibyte
Meaning
A gibibyte (GiB) is a unit of data storage equal to 1024 mebibytes (MiB). A film or memory stick is often a few GiB. The gibi prefix means 1024 cubed bytes.
Practice
sizeGiB ← 4
Testing
Gaps
1 GiB = MiB
Check Answer
Spots
2gib ← mib DIV 1024
3OUTPUT gib, " MiB"

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Quick Questions

1. How many mebibytes (MiB) are in 1 gibibyte (GiB)?
A. 1024 MiB ✓
B. 1000 MiB
Storage units go up in steps of 1024, so 1 GiB = 1024 MiB.
2. Which unit is larger?
A. GiB ✓
B. MiB
A GiB is 1024 times bigger than a MiB.
3. Which unit comes straight after the mebibyte (MiB) on the unit ladder?
A. Kibibyte (KiB)
B. Gibibyte (GiB) ✓
The order is byte, KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB. KiB is below MiB, GiB is above it.
4. Which statement about a gibibyte is correct?
A. 1 GiB = 1024 MiB ✓
B. 1 GiB = 1024 KiB
1024 KiB is only 1 MiB. A GiB is 1024 MiB.
5. Which is a typical size for a film or a memory stick?
A. A few bits
B. A few GiB ✓
Films and memory sticks hold billions of bytes, so a few GiB is realistic. A few bits is far too small.

Match the Pairs

1 GiB = 1024 MiB → One gibibyte is made up of 1024 mebibytes
GiB → The symbol for gibibyte, a unit of storage that a film or memory stick often measures in
To change gibibytes into mebibytes, multiply by 1024 → 3 GiB * 1024 = 3072 MiB
The gibi prefix means 1024 cubed bytes → 1 GiB = 1024 * 1024 * 1024 bytes
1 GiB = 1000 MiB → Storage units go up in steps of 1024, not 1000. A gibibyte is 1024 MiB.
8 GiB = 8 / 1024 MiB → Converting to a smaller unit means multiplying by 1024, not dividing.

Key Term

gibibyte
A gibibyte (GiB) is a unit of data storage equal to 1024 mebibytes (MiB). A film or memory stick is often a few GiB. The gibi prefix means 1024 cubed bytes.

Fill in the Blanks

1. 1 GiB = 1024 MiB
Hint: Type the number of mebibytes in one gibibyte.
2. 1 GiB = 1024 MiB
Hint: Type the symbol for the gibibyte unit.
3. 1 GiB = 1024 MiB
Hint: Type the symbol for the unit one step smaller than a gibibyte.
4. 1 GiB = 1024 ^ 3 bytes
Hint: Type the power that 1024 is raised to, from the gibi prefix, to give bytes in a gibibyte.
5. sizeMiB ← 2048 sizeGiB ← sizeMiB / 1024
Hint: Type the operator that converts mebibytes into the larger unit, gibibytes.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A mib ← 3072
B gib ← mib DIV 1024
C OUTPUT gib, " MiB"
Line C — The value in gib is a number of gibibytes (3072 MiB DIV 1024 = 3), so the label must be " GiB", not " MiB".
Question 2
A mibPerGib ← 1000
B gib ← 2
C mib ← gib * mibPerGib
D OUTPUT mib
Line A — A gibibyte is 1024 mebibytes, not 1000. Storage units in this system use 1024, so the line should be mibPerGib ← 1024.
Question 3
A mib ← 5120
B gib ← mib * 1024
C OUTPUT gib
Line B — Going from MiB to the larger unit GiB means dividing by 1024, not multiplying. It should be gib ← mib DIV 1024.
Question 4
A gib ← 4
B mib ← gib * 1024
C kib ← mib DIV 1024
D OUTPUT kib
Line C — Going from MiB to the smaller unit KiB means multiplying by 1024, not dividing. It should be kib ← mib * 1024.
Question 5
A stick ← 16
B film ← 4
C count ← stick DIV film
D OUTPUT stick, " films fit"
Line D — The number of films that fit is stored in count (16 GiB DIV 4 GiB = 4). The program should output count, not stick.

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