Bit rate

The bit rate is the number of bits that are transmitted per second over the wire.

For example, if we have a bit rate of 9600, that means that there are 9600 bits transmitted per second.

The bit rate is different from the baud rate, which is the number of signal changes per second. The bit rate can be higher than the baud rate if we use a modulation scheme which lets us encode more than just one bit in every signal change.

The bit rate is the thing that determines how fast the data is transmitted, e.g. your internet speed, or the speed of a USB connection, etc. The higher the Bit rate, the faster the data is transmitted (usually).

Calculating bit rate

If we know the baud rate and the number of bits per signal change, we can calculate the bit rate using the formula:

\text{bit rate} = \text{baud rate} \times \text{Bits per signal change}

flashcards

Question	Answer
Bit rate	The number of bits transmitted per second over the wire.
If bit rate is 9600, how many bits are transmitted per second?	9600 bits.
How does bit rate differ from baud rate?	Bit rate is bits per second; baud rate is signal changes per second.
How can bit rate be higher than baud rate?	By using a modulation scheme that encodes more than one bit per signal change.
What does bit rate determine in real-world connections?	How fast data is transmitted, e.g., internet speed or USB connection speed.
Formula: Calculate bit rate from baud rate and bits per signal change	\text{bit rate} = \text{baud rate} \times \text{Bits per signal change}