One Gigabyte (GB) is equal to ___ Megabytes (MB) (in binary format).

Appeared in: CGHS SSC - 2018

Explanation

In computer science, memory units are based on the binary (base-2) system.
The conversion factor between major units like Kilo, Mega, Giga, and Tera is 210.
Therefore, 1 Gigabyte (GB) is equal to 210 Megabytes (MB), which calculates to 1,024 MB.

Option A: 512 is equal to 29, not 210. It represents half of a kilobyte/megabyte/gigabyte in binary terms, not the full unit conversion.
Option C: 1,00,000 is an arbitrary large number and does not correspond to any standard data storage conversion factor in either binary or decimal systems.
Option D: 1,000 is the conversion factor used in the decimal (base-10) or SI system. While storage manufacturers often use this to define capacity (1 GB = 1000 MB), the question specifically asks for the binary format, which is used by operating systems.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Computer Memory Unit Conversion (Binary System) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding data units is essential in modern nursing due to the prevalence of digital health records.
Nurses interact with large files, such as high-resolution medical images (MRIs, CT scans) and patient data sets. Knowing that 1 GB is over 1000 MB helps in managing and transferring this data efficiently within the hospital's IT infrastructure.
What if? If a nurse needs to transfer a 2.5 GB patient imaging file to a portable drive with only 2,000 MB of free space, they would know it won't fit because 2.5 GB is actually 2,560 MB, not 2,500 MB.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'Gigabyte (GB)', 'Megabytes (MB)', and crucially, 'binary format'.
Recall the two systems for measuring data: binary (base-2) and decimal (base-10).
Remember that for computer memory and operating systems (binary format), the conversion factor is based on powers of 2.
The standard conversion is 1024 (which is 210).
Differentiate this from the decimal system's 1000, which is often used for marketing storage devices.
Select the option that matches the binary conversion factor, which is 1,024.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor pp. 847-849, 1059-1061

Practise the full CGHS SSC - 2018

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