Year 10 - Computing
Measurements of storage
Data compression
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils will be introduced to the concept of data compression and why it is needed. The will compare lossy and lossless compression methods and their typical uses. They will have the opportunity to compression methods such as run length encoding (RLE) and Huffman coding.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to define different storage units and convert between them.
Key Notes
- Data in computer systems is represented and stored as binary (0s and 1s).
- Storage units can be converted.
- Different files take up different amounts of storage.
- Knowing file sizes helps manage storage space efficiently.
Vocabulary To Learn
- bit: a binary digit, the basic unit of data within a computer system that has the value 0 or 1
- byte: a group of 8 bits
- number prefixes: a word used in front of a number to represent a multiple of that number
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Bits and bytes are the same thing. They all refer to binary numbers.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Describe the system or process from this lesson in clear steps.
Data in computer systems is represented and stored as binary (0s and 1s). Storage units can be converted.
2. Define this computing term and give one practical example. 'bit'
a binary digit, the basic unit of data within a computer system that has the value 0 or 1. Add one real device or system example to prove understanding.
3. Correct this common computing misconception.
Mistake: Bits and bytes are the same thing. They all refer to binary numbers. Correction: A bit is the smallest unit of data. A byte is a group of 8 bits and is used to summarise larger sequences of bits in a more convenient way.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 10 Computing guide library.