ASCII
In computing, coding system in which numbers are assigned to letters, digits, and punctuation symbols. Although computers work in code based on the binary number system, ASCII numbers are usually quoted as decimal or hexadecimal numbers. For example, the decimal number 45 (binary 0101101) represents a hyphen, and 65 (binary 1000001) a capital A. The first 32 codes are used for control functions, such as carriage return and backspace.
Strictly speaking, ASCII is a 7-bit binary code, allowing 128 different characters to be represented, but an eighth bit is often used to provide parity or to allow for extra characters. The system is widely used for the storage of text and for the transmission of data between computers.
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