A character set is a defined collection of characters and their corresponding binary codes. Different character sets can represent different ranges of characters, depending on the number of bits used.
Key points
Definition:Character Set: a collection of characters and their corresponding binary values used by a computer system. Examples include ASCII and Unicode.
The character set defines which characters a computer can store, display, and process.
Different character sets use different numbers of bits per character, which determines how many unique characters can be represented.
Exam Tip:Make sure you can define 'character set' precisely — 'ALL the different characters that a computer can represent, each with a UNIQUE binary code'.
Common Mistake:Saying 'a character set is the set of characters' — this repeats the question and scores 0. You must explain what it IS and what it DOES.
Exam Tip:If asked to 'identify a second character set', the answer is Unicode. Do NOT give a character name (e.g. 'U') — that is an individual character, not a character set.