How many MB in a GB
The simple answer to how many MB in a GB is 1024. However, many times it may happen that you will forget this answer, and won't understand how big your files are in kB, MB or GB. There are some simple ways to remember byte measurements. Most document or text files in your personal computers will always be in kB's (kilobytes). Your mp3 music files or tracks will always be in MB's (megabytes), and bigger files like folders containing some episodes of television series, or your hard drives will be in GB's which is gigabytes.
What is the Basic Data Storage Unit?
The basic unit for computer data storage is called a bit short for the word binary digit. These bits are numbers 1 and 0, which use the binary language to communicate with computers. So, all the files stored in our computers are translated into words, pictures, audio by the software. The system of 1 and 0 is called 'binary number system', because it has only these two numbers. Well, this was the technical information but here are some more answers to the questions you might ponder on.
Why is the Conversion Number 1024 and not 1000?
I asked this question in our computer class, and my teacher's reaction was, "That's a very smart question!" I swelled with pride. Well, Remembering this fact or simply remembering the number '1024', will make it easy for you to convert your files or burn your CD's. The 'decimal number system', as opposed to the binary number system has ten unique digits, from 0 to 9. The computer data and the file size is measured in binary code, using the binary number system which is counted by factors of two which are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc. The prefixes for the multiples are based on the metric system, and the nearest binary number to 1000 is 2^10 (2 to the power of 10) which is 1024. Hence, the number 1024 is the conversion number.
So, in a metric system kilo is 1000 but in binary kilo is 1024. Just remember this fact, to avoid any confusion, but in case you still get confused just remember the number 1024, and remember that there was a logical conclusion behind it! (Because, one can keep forgetting the technical conversion.) One way to understand the 1000 or 1024 confusion is with this example about data storage. Even if you have an 80 GB hard disk capacity, the properties will show the space to be about 79 point something GB. It is always a bit less than 80 GB, because the manufacturers will consider the data storage in multiples of 1000 and the computer (or rather Windows) will consider the data storage in 1024. Those extra 24's will eat up some space of the last GB and therefore, you will notice that your hard disk capacity is a bit less than what the manufacturers write on the label!
What are the Most Common Data Storage Units Used?
The most common ones we use in our daily life are kB, MB and GB's. Here, is a chart you can remember to avoid any confusion, of how many megabytes in a gigabyte and other most used conversions.
| Unit | Conversion |
| 1024 Bytes | 1 kB |
| 1024 kB | 1 MB |
| 1024 MB | 1 GB |
To remember these conversions better, just right click on any text document and check its properties. It will be in kB's. Check the properties of your mp3 files, and it will be in MB's. Your hard disk drives and DVD's will be in occupying space GB's.
There, are higher measurement units like terabyte (TB), and 1024 GB = 1TB. But, people rarely will have a hard disk installed in their computers with a capacity of 1TB. However, an external or installed 1TB hard disk is a good idea in case you like to store a lot of movies and data, or in case you collect movies with blu-ray discs formats.
