In dotted decimal notation, what decimal range is represented by each octet?

Each octet in dotted decimal notation, which is commonly used in IP addressing, can represent values ranging from 0 to 255. This is because an octet consists of 8 bits, and with 8 bits, you can represent a total of 256 values. The calculation for this is derived from the formula 2^n, where n is the number of bits (in this case, 8). Therefore, 2^8 equals 256, meaning the range of values is from 0 (the lowest value) to 255 (the highest value).

In terms of usage, this range is crucial in networking, as it allows for sufficient address space in IPv4 addressing, where each device on a network is assigned a unique IP address within this range.

The other options do not align with the technical specifications of an octet in IP addressing. The range of 0 to 128, for instance, only covers half of the possible values an octet can represent, while the ranges of 0 to 512 and 1 to 256 exceed the possible values. Understanding the correct range of each octet is essential for a fundamental grasp of networking and IP address allocation.