Digital technology uses binary numbers represented as strings of 1s and 0s. Bits are grouped into bytes to store digital information. Analog signals are converted to digital by sampling the signal amplitude at regular intervals and assigning it a numeric value. Compact discs store digital audio data in the form of pits and lands on the disc's surface that are read by a laser beam and interpreted as 1s and 0s. Precise sampling rates and quantization levels are needed to accurately represent analog signals digitally with minimal information loss.