The binary representation of decimal 149, with the MSB highlighted. The MSB in an 8-bit binary number represents a value of 128 decimal. The LSB represents a value of 1.

In computing, the most significant bit (MSB) is the bit position in a binary number having the greatest value. The MSB is sometimes referred to as the left-most bit. Most Significant Bit File links The following pages link to this file: Most significant bit ... The binary numeral system represents numeric values using two symbols, typically 0 and 1. ... Originally, the word computing was synonymous with counting and calculating, and a science that deals with the original sense of computing mathematical calculations. ... This article is about the unit of information. ... The binary numeral system represents numeric values using two symbols, typically 0 and 1. ...

In referencing specific bits within a binary number, each bit is assigned a bit number, ranging from zero to n (depending on the number of bits in the number.) The phrase bit zero may refer to either the least significant bit (LSB) or the MSB, depending on the endianness. In computing, the least significant bit (LSB) is the bit position in a binary number having the value of 1. ... When integers or any other data are represented with multiple bytes, there are different ways those bytes can be arranged in memory or in transmission over some medium. ...

By extension, the most significant bits (plural) are the bits of the number closest to, and including, the MSB.

MSB can also stand for "most significant byte".

See also

• Least significant bit
• Binary numeral systems
• Signed number representations
• Two's complement