Megabytes (MB) to Megabits (Mb) conversion

Note: Above conversion to Mb is base 10 decimal unit. If you want to use base 2 (binary unit) use Megabytes to Mebibits (MB to Mib) (which results to 7.62939453125 Mib). See the difference between decimal (Metric) and binary prefixes

Megabytes to Megabits conversion table

Megabytes (MB)Megabits (Mb)
00
18
216
324
432
540
648
756
864
972
1080
20160
30240
40320
50400
60480
70560
80640
90720
100800
10008000

How to convert megabytes to megabits?

Converting between Megabytes (MB) and Megabits (Mb) involves understanding the relationship between bytes and bits, as well as the differences between base-10 (decimal) and base-2 (binary) representations of these units. Here's a breakdown to help you understand the conversion.

Conversion Fundamentals

Data storage and transfer rates are often expressed in different units, necessitating conversions. The key to converting between Megabytes and Megabits lies in knowing how bits and bytes relate and whether the context implies a base-10 or base-2 system.

Base-10 (Decimal) Conversion

In the decimal system, prefixes like "mega" represent powers of 10.

Conversion Steps: Megabytes (MB) to Megabits (Mb)

  1. Bytes to bits: 1 byte (B) = 8 bits (b)
  2. Megabytes to bytes: 1 MB = 10610^6 bytes = 1,000,000 bytes
  3. Conversion formula: 1 MB = 10610^6 bytes * 8 bits/byte = 8,000,000 bits = 8 Mb

Therefore:

1 MB=8 Mb1 \text{ MB} = 8 \text{ Mb}

Conversion Steps: Megabits (Mb) to Megabytes (MB)

  1. Bits to bytes: 1 bit = 18\frac{1}{8} bytes
  2. Megabits to bits: 1 Mb = 10610^6 bits = 1,000,000 bits
  3. Conversion formula: 1 Mb = 10610^6 bits * 18\frac{1}{8} bytes/bit = 125,000 bytes = 0.125 MB

Therefore:

1 Mb=0.125 MB1 \text{ Mb} = 0.125 \text{ MB}

Base-2 (Binary) Conversion

In the binary system, prefixes like "mega" represent powers of 2. In this context, Megabyte is sometimes referred to as Mebibyte (MiB), and Megabit is sometimes referred to as Mebibit (Mib).

Conversion Steps: Mebibytes (MiB) to Mebibits (Mib)

  1. Bytes to bits: 1 byte (B) = 8 bits (b)
  2. Mebibytes to bytes: 1 MiB = 2202^{20} bytes = 1,048,576 bytes
  3. Conversion formula: 1 MiB = 2202^{20} bytes * 8 bits/byte = 8,388,608 bits = 8 Mib

Therefore:

1 MiB=8 Mib1 \text{ MiB} = 8 \text{ Mib}

Conversion Steps: Mebibits (Mib) to Mebibytes (MiB)

  1. Bits to bytes: 1 bit = 18\frac{1}{8} bytes
  2. Mebibits to bits: 1 Mib = 2202^{20} bits = 1,048,576 bits
  3. Conversion formula: 1 Mib = 2202^{20} bits * 18\frac{1}{8} bytes/bit = 131,072 bytes = 0.125 MiB

Therefore:

1 Mib=0.125 MiB1 \text{ Mib} = 0.125 \text{ MiB}

Real-World Examples

Here are some common examples where you might need to convert between MB and Mb:

  • Internet Speed: Internet speeds are often advertised in Megabits per second (Mbps), while file sizes are usually in Megabytes (MB). For example, a 100 Mbps connection can download approximately 12.5 MB per second (100 / 8 = 12.5).
  • Storage Devices: While manufacturers might advertise storage capacity in MB (base 10), operating systems often report sizes in MiB (base 2), leading to apparent discrepancies.

Laws and Notable Figures

  • Claude Shannon: Often referred to as the "father of information theory," Claude Shannon's work laid the foundation for understanding and quantifying digital information, which includes the concepts of bits and bytes. His work at Bell Labs in the 1940s revolutionized the field of communication and data storage. (Claude Shannon, the Father of the Information Age)

Summary

Conversion Base-10 (Decimal) Base-2 (Binary)
1 MB to Mb 8 Mb N/A
1 MiB to Mib N/A 8 Mib
1 Mb to MB 0.125 MB N/A
1 Mib to MiB N/A 0.125 MiB

See below section for step by step unit conversion with formulas and explanations. Please refer to the table below for a list of all the Megabits to other unit conversions.

What is Megabytes?

Megabytes (MB) are a unit of digital information storage, widely used to measure the size of files, storage capacity, and data transfer amounts. It's essential to understand that megabytes can be interpreted in two different ways depending on the context: base 10 (decimal) and base 2 (binary).

Decimal (Base 10) Megabytes

In the decimal system, which is commonly used for marketing storage devices, a megabyte is defined as:

1 MB=1000 kilobytes (KB)=1,000,000 bytes1 \text{ MB} = 1000 \text{ kilobytes (KB)} = 1,000,000 \text{ bytes}

This definition is simpler for consumers to understand and aligns with how manufacturers often advertise storage capacities. It's important to note, however, that operating systems typically use the binary definition.

Real-World Examples (Decimal)

  • A small image file (e.g., a low-resolution JPEG): 1-5 MB
  • An average-length MP3 audio file: 3-5 MB
  • A short video clip: 10-50 MB

Binary (Base 2) Megabytes

In the binary system, which is used by computers to represent data, a megabyte is defined as:

1 MB=1024 kibibytes (KiB)=1,048,576 bytes1 \text{ MB} = 1024 \text{ kibibytes (KiB)} = 1,048,576 \text{ bytes}

This definition is more accurate for representing the actual physical storage allocation within computer systems. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) recommends using "mebibyte" (MiB) to avoid ambiguity when referring to binary megabytes, where 1 MiB = 1024 KiB.

Real-World Examples (Binary)

  • Older floppy disks could store around 1.44 MB (binary).
  • The amount of RAM required to run basic applications in older computer systems.

Origins and Notable Associations

The concept of bytes and their multiples evolved with the development of computer technology. While there isn't a specific "law" associated with megabytes, its definition is based on the fundamental principles of digital data representation.

  • Claude Shannon: Although not directly related to the term "megabyte," Claude Shannon, an American mathematician and electrical engineer, laid the foundation for information theory in his 1948 paper "A Mathematical Theory of Communication". His work established the concept of bits and bytes as fundamental units of digital information.
  • Werner Buchholz: Is credited with coining the term "byte" in 1956 while working as a computer scientist at IBM.

Base 10 vs Base 2: The Confusion

The difference between decimal and binary megabytes often leads to confusion. A hard drive advertised as "1 TB" (terabyte, decimal) will appear smaller (approximately 931 GiB - gibibytes) when viewed by your operating system because the OS uses the binary definition.

1 TB (Decimal)=1012 bytes1 \text{ TB (Decimal)} = 10^{12} \text{ bytes} 1 TiB (Binary)=240 bytes1 \text{ TiB (Binary)} = 2^{40} \text{ bytes}

This difference in representation is crucial to understand when evaluating storage capacities and data transfer rates. For more details, you can read the Binary prefix page on Wikipedia.

What is megabits?

What is Megabits?

Megabits (Mb or Mbit) are a unit of measurement for digital information, commonly used to quantify data transfer rates and network bandwidth. Understanding megabits is crucial in today's digital world, where data speed and capacity are paramount.

Understanding Megabits

Definition

A megabit is a multiple of the unit bit (binary digit) for digital information. The prefix "mega" indicates a factor of either 10610^6 (one million) in base 10, or 2202^{20} (1,048,576) in base 2. The interpretation depends on the context, typically networking uses base 10, whereas memory and storage tend to use base 2.

Base 10 (Decimal) vs. Base 2 (Binary)

  • Base 10 (Decimal): 1 Megabit = 1,000,000 bits (10610^6 bits). This is often used in the context of data transfer rates, such as network speeds.
  • Base 2 (Binary): 1 Megabit = 1,048,576 bits (2202^{20} bits). While less common for "Megabit," it's relevant because related units like Mebibit (Mibit) are precisely defined this way. It's more relevant for internal computer architecture such as RAM.

How Megabits are Formed

Megabits are formed by grouping individual bits together. A bit is the smallest unit of data, representing a 0 or 1. When you have a million (base 10) or 1,048,576 (base 2) of these bits, you have one megabit.

Real-World Examples

  • Internet Speed: Internet service providers (ISPs) often advertise speeds in megabits per second (Mbps). For example, a 100 Mbps connection can theoretically download 100 megabits of data every second. To download a 100 MB file, it would take around 8 seconds. Remember that Bytes and bits are different!
  • Network Bandwidth: Network bandwidth, which shows data carrying capacity, can be measure in Mb. Larger the bandwidth, the more data you can send or receive at once.
  • Video Streaming Quality: The quality of streaming video is often described in terms of megabits per second. Higher bitrates usually mean better video quality. For example, 4K streaming might require 25 Mbps or more.
  • Game Download size: Digital game file sizes on platforms like Steam or PlayStation Store are often very large which require a higher number of Megabits per second.

Interesting Facts

  • Confusion with Megabytes: It's easy to confuse megabits (Mb) with megabytes (MB). A megabyte is 8 times larger than a megabit (1 MB = 8 Mb). Data storage (like hard drives and SSDs) is typically measured in megabytes, gigabytes, and terabytes, while data transfer rates are often measured in megabits per second.
  • Shannon's Law: While not directly related to the definition of megabits, Claude Shannon's work on information theory is fundamental to understanding the limits of data transmission. Shannon's Law (the Shannon-Hartley theorem) provides a theoretical upper bound for the maximum rate at which information can be reliably transmitted over a communication channel with a specified bandwidth in the presence of noise.

Key Takeaways

  • Megabits are a unit for quantifying digital information.
  • 1 Megabit = 1,000,000 bits (decimal) or 1,048,576 bits (binary).
  • Commonly used to describe data transfer rates (like internet speed) and network bandwidth.
  • Easily confused with megabytes (MB); remember that 1 MB = 8 Mb.

For more information on units of data, refer to resources like NIST's definition of bit and Wikipedia's article on data rate units.

Complete Megabytes conversion table

Enter # of Megabytes
Convert 1 MB to other unitsResult
Megabytes to Bits (MB to b)8000000
Megabytes to Kilobits (MB to Kb)8000
Megabytes to Kibibits (MB to Kib)7812.5
Megabytes to Megabits (MB to Mb)8
Megabytes to Mebibits (MB to Mib)7.62939453125
Megabytes to Gigabits (MB to Gb)0.008
Megabytes to Gibibits (MB to Gib)0.007450580596924
Megabytes to Terabits (MB to Tb)0.000008
Megabytes to Tebibits (MB to Tib)0.000007275957614183
Megabytes to Bytes (MB to B)1000000
Megabytes to Kilobytes (MB to KB)1000
Megabytes to Kibibytes (MB to KiB)976.5625
Megabytes to Mebibytes (MB to MiB)0.9536743164063
Megabytes to Gigabytes (MB to GB)0.001
Megabytes to Gibibytes (MB to GiB)0.0009313225746155
Megabytes to Terabytes (MB to TB)0.000001
Megabytes to Tebibytes (MB to TiB)9.0949470177293e-7