Bits to equally likely outcomes
Type a value in bit to get it in outcomes instantly.
256outcomes
That's about the same as a byte. That much information picks one outcome out of about 256.
Convert the other way: outcomes to bit
What it means
How much information is that?
This is Shannon information, not file size. A megabyte file may carry far less than eight million bits of actual information, which is why it compresses.
The math
How to convert bit to outcomes
Each unit is a different logarithm base: bits = log₂(outcomes), nats = ln(outcomes) and hartleys = log₁₀(outcomes). One nat is 1.443 bits, one hartley 3.322.
Example: 8 bit = 256 outcomes.
Every unit
Your information in every unit
Tables
bit to outcomes conversion table
| bit | outcomes |
|---|---|
| 1 bit | 2 outcomes |
| 2 bit | 4 outcomes |
| 4 bit | 16 outcomes |
| 8 bit | 256 outcomes |
| 16 bit | 65,536 outcomes |
| 32 bit | 4.295×10⁹ outcomes |
| 64 bit | 1.845×10¹⁹ outcomes |
| 128 bit | 3.403×10³⁸ outcomes |
| 256 bit | 1.158×10⁷⁷ outcomes |
outcomes to bit conversion table
| outcomes | bit |
|---|---|
| 1 outcomes | 0 bit |
| 2 outcomes | 1 bit |
| 4 outcomes | 2 bit |
| 8 outcomes | 3 bit |
| 16 outcomes | 4 bit |
| 32 outcomes | 5 bit |
| 64 outcomes | 6 bit |
| 128 outcomes | 7 bit |
| 256 outcomes | 8 bit |
| 1,024 outcomes | 10 bit |
Quick answers
Quick answers
- How many outcomes is 1 bit?
- 1 bit is 2 outcomes.
- How many outcomes is 10 bit?
- 10 bit is 1,024 outcomes.
- How many outcomes is 8 bit?
- 8 bit is 256 outcomes.
The units
About these units
Bits (bit)
The base-2 unit: one fair coin toss of information.
Equally likely outcomes (outcomes)
How many possibilities that much information distinguishes.
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