Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Digital Literacy Computer Basics Computer Basics Data

fundamental building blocks of computer

the fundamental building blocks of a computer is this idea of switch - on or off . what does this mean? plz explain I detail

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,288 Points

Try thinking of a "bit" of data as a light switch on the wall. If you turn the light "on", that could represent the number 1. And when you turn it "off", that could represent 0. And just like a light switch is either "on" or "off", a bit of data can only represent one of two values, 1 or 0.

Does that help?

yes absolutely it helped but I wanted to know why it is the fundamental building blocks of computer.

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,288 Points

It has to do with the physical nature of memory devices. The smallest unit of storage is a tiny piece of material that can be electrically put into either of two states. This is a single "bit". For more details, check out the Wikipedia page on Bit.