How many bits are used in an IPv4 address?

An IPv4 address is composed of 32 bits. This 32-bit structure allows for a total of approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses, as it can encode 2^32 different combinations. The address is typically represented in decimal format as four octets, separated by periods, such as 192.168.1.1. This representation reflects the underlying binary structure, where each octet corresponds to 8 bits, summing up to the 32 bits of the entire address. The significance of understanding the bit length of an IPv4 address lies in its scalability and the development of network addressing and routing protocols, especially as the number of devices connecting to the internet continues to grow.