What does ASCII stand for in the context of computer encoding systems?

ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. This encoding system assigns a unique numeric value to each character, which includes letters, digits, punctuation marks, and control characters, allowing for standardized communication between different devices and systems. Each character is represented by a 7-bit binary number, which enables computers and other digital devices to process and store text.

The use of ASCII is crucial in ensuring compatibility and interoperability among various hardware and software platforms, as it provides a common framework for character representation. This codification has been widely adopted in programming, data transmission, and storage, which has led to its prominence in the computing field. Understanding ASCII is fundamental when learning about how text and characters are represented in digital formats.