Answer:
The 8 bit board, since it can represent many more colors. Assume that each bit pattern represents a color. With 6 bits, the board could only have 26 = 64 colors; with 8 bits, it could have 28 = 256 colors, a considerable improvement.
The 8 bit board, since it can represent many more colors. Assume that each bit pattern represents a color. With 6 bits, the board could only have 26 = 64 colors; with 8 bits, it could have 28 = 256 colors, a considerable improvement.
| Hexadecimal Names | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| nibble | pattern name | nibble | pattern name |
| 0000 | 0 | 1000 | 8 |
| 0001 | 1 | 1001 | 9 |
| 0010 | 2 | 1010 | A |
| 0011 | 3 | 1011 | B |
| 0100 | 4 | 1100 | C |
| 0101 | 5 | 1101 | D |
| 0110 | 6 | 1110 | E |
| 0111 | 7 | 1111 | F |
Consider the following pattern:
0010100010101010
It is not easy to work with. It is convenient to break bit patterns into 4-bit groups (called nibbles):
0010 1000 1010 1010
There are 16 ( = 24 ) possible patterns in a nibble; each pattern has a name, as seen in the table.
You might be tempted to call those 4-bit patterns "binary numbers". Resist that temptation. The bit patterns in computer main memory are used for very many purposes; representing integers is just one of them. The fundamental concept is "bit patterns". Don't confuse this concept with one of its many uses: "representing numbers".
The above bit pattern can be written using the pattern names:
0010 1000 1010 1100 = 28AC
Bits are grouped into nibbles starting at the right. Then each nibble is named. This method of giving names to patterns is called hexadecimal.
What is the name of the pattern:
1011 0110