Question

This has to do with a question I read yesterday:
How to determine how many bytes an integer needs?

Anyway, the part that I have a question about is this:

I’m looking for the most efficient way to calculate the minimum number of bytes needed to store an integer without losing precision.

e.g.

int: 10 = 1 byte

int: 257 = 2 bytes

My question is, why does 10 require 1 byte, and why does 257 require 2? From what I understand, you can represent 10 as 1010, which is 4 bits, and 257 as 100000001, which is 9 bits. Does it have to do with word size? Is it that you can’t have just 4 bits, but you need the whole byte and you can’t just have 9 bits, you need the whole 2 bytes?

Answer 1

That’s right, bytes come in sizes of 8 bits each¹, and you usually can’t subdivide them.

¹ Usually (for pedants and troglodytes).