Approximately how many bytes are in a terabyte (TB)?

Prepare for the KAMSC Sophomore Computer Science Test. Boost your knowledge with flashcards and comprehensive multiple-choice questions. Ace your exam with detailed explanations for each answer!

A terabyte (TB) is a measure of digital information storage that is equivalent to approximately 1 trillion bytes. This measurement is based on the decimal system commonly used in storage devices; 1 terabyte is equal to ( 10^{12} ) bytes, which is 1,000 gigabytes or 1,000,000 megabytes.

In binary terms, however, a terabyte is also sometimes considered to be ( 1024^4 ) bytes (or 1,099,511,627,776 bytes), but in the context of most consumer storage devices and general usage, it is referred to as 1 trillion bytes. This distinction makes it clear why the answer indicating 1 trillion is correct, as it aligns with the common interpretation of a terabyte in a decimal system.

The other choices reflect incorrect quantities associated with different units of storage. 1 billion bytes refers to a gigabyte, 1 million bytes represents a megabyte, and 1024 is not a byte count but rather a binary prefix associated with powers of 2. Thus, recognizing that a terabyte is understood as approximately 1 trillion bytes is essential in understanding digital storage capacities.

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