Editing Measuring network throughput (section)

===Confusing and inconsistent use of Suffixes===

It is usual for people to abbreviate commonly used expressions. For file sizes, it is usual for someone to say that they have a '64 k' file (meaning 64 kilobytes), or a '100 meg' file (meaning 100 megabytes). When talking about circuit [[bit rate]]s, people will interchangeably use the terms [[throughput]], [[Bandwidth (computing)|bandwidth]] and speed, and refer to a circuit as being a '64 k' circuit, or a '2 meg' circuit &mdash; meaning 64&nbsp;kbit/s or 2&nbsp;Mbit/s (see also the [[List of device bandwidths|List of connection bandwidths]]). However, a '64 k' circuit will not transmit a '64 k' file in one second. This may not be obvious to those unfamiliar with telecommunications and computing, so misunderstandings sometimes arise. In actuality, a 64 kilobyte file is 64 × 1,024 × 8 bits in size and the 64 k circuit will transmit bits at a rate of 64 × 1,000 bit/s, so the amount of time taken to transmit a 64 kilobyte file over the 64 k circuit will be at least (64 × 1,024 × 8)/(64 × 1,000) seconds, which works out to be 8.192 seconds.