how are individual characters represented by a computer
Character (computing) Computers and communication equipment represent characters using a character encoding that assigns each character to something — an integer quantity represented by a sequence of digits, typically — that can be stored or transmitted through a network. Two examples of usual encodings are ASCII and the UTF-8 encoding for Unicode. While most character encodings map characters to numbers and/or bit sequences, Morse code instead represents characters using a series of electrical impulses of varying length.
Degree symbol In Microsoft Office and similar programs, there is often also an Insert menu with an Insert Symbol or Symbol command that brings up a graphical palette of symbols to insert, including the degree symbol. In WordPerfect, pressing Ctrl+W+ brings up lists of special characters. The character map is usually sorted as per the unicode tables, so sixteen characters horizontally (0–F); this may vary from system to system, though. An easier way is to simply enter the hexadecimal value and press Alt+X; if the characters touching the Unicode number is any digit or the letters A–F, make sure there is a space before pressing Alt+X. Example: ‘At 71[insert space]b0Alt+X[remove space before symbol] N, temperatures can get frigid.’