1GB is equal to how many MB?

Appeared in: Combined AIIMS - 2020 (Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur)

Explanation

In digital information technology, memory units are based on the binary system, which uses powers of 2.
The conversion factor between consecutive larger units like Kilobyte, Megabyte, Gigabyte, and Terabyte is 1024 (which is 2 to the power of 10).
Therefore, 1 Gigabyte (GB) is defined as being equal to 1024 Megabytes (MB).

Option A: 500 MB represents approximately half a Gigabyte (0.5 GB), not a full Gigabyte.
Option B: This is an arbitrary numerical value that does not correspond to any standard conversion in computer memory units.
Option C: This value is incorrect. 2048 MB (which is 2 x 1024 MB) is the correct equivalent for 2 GB.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Computer Data Storage Units as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While not a clinical question, basic computer literacy is essential for modern nursing practice, including managing Electronic Health Records (EHRs), operating medical devices, and accessing digital resources.
Understanding data sizes is practical for handling patient files, large imaging data (like X-rays or CT scans), and ensuring information is transferred and stored correctly.
What if? If the question were about hard drive capacity as advertised by manufacturers, the answer might be 1000 MB. Some manufacturers use the decimal definition (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes) for marketing, whereas operating systems report capacity using the binary definition (1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes or 1024 MB).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify that the question is a factual recall question about computer memory units.
Recognize the units involved: Gigabyte (GB) and Megabyte (MB).
Recall the standard conversion factor used in computing, which is based on powers of 2, not 10.
Remember the hierarchy: 1 Kilobyte = 1024 Bytes, 1 Megabyte = 1024 Kilobytes, and 1 Gigabyte = 1024 Megabytes.
Scan the options to find the one that matches this established conversion factor.
Select 1024 MB as the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full Combined AIIMS - 2020 (Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.