To convert from binary to octal, how many bits do you select in groups?

To convert from binary to octal, you select bits in groups of three. This is because octal is a base-8 number system, and each octal digit can represent three binary digits (as (2^3 = 8)).

When converting, you group the binary number from the right side into sets of three bits each. If the total number of bits isn't a multiple of three, you can add leading zeros to the leftmost group to ensure it has three bits. Each group of three bits is then converted to its corresponding octal digit.

For instance, the binary number 101110 can be grouped as 101 and 110, which represent 5 and 6 in octal, respectively, leading to the octal number 56. This method simplifies the conversion process from binary to octal without needing to convert to decimal first.

Other options like groups of two, four, or eight bits do not correctly correspond to the structure of the octal system and thus would not provide a reliable means of conversion from binary to octal.