24-bit refers to the color depth used in digital imaging that allows for the representation of over 16 million distinct colors. This bit depth means that each of the three color channels (red, green, and blue) can have 256 possible values, resulting in a total of $256 \times 256 \times 256 = 16,777,216$ colors. The high number of colors enhances the visual quality and detail of images, making it essential for realistic image reproduction.
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