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Computers & Digital Literacy · Grade 10

Data Representation and Compression

Learners move fluently between binary, decimal and hexadecimal, reason about the limits of fixed-width storage and what happens on overflow, and calculate the uncompressed size of images and audio from their parameters. They then compress data by hand with run-length encoding, measure compression ratios, and decide when lossless or lossy compression is the right tool.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 105 minutes
  • Data representation and compression check: 10 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, trace code, estimate, match pairs and type a number
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What learners will discover

  • Convert between binary, decimal and hexadecimal, and explain why one hex digit stands for exactly four bits.
  • Use the rule that n bits give 2^n^ values (0 to 2^n^ − 1 unsigned) to predict ranges and explain overflow and its consequences.
  • Calculate uncompressed image size from width, height and bits per pixel, and uncompressed audio size from sample rate, bit depth, channels and duration.
  • Encode and decode run-length data, compute a compression ratio, and justify choosing lossless or lossy compression for a situation.

Lessons

  1. Binary, decimal and hexadecimal 8 steps5 practiceabout 25 min
  2. Fixed width, ranges and overflow 7 steps4 practiceabout 25 min
  3. How big is a picture or a recording? 8 steps5 practiceabout 27 min
  4. Compression: lossless and lossy 9 steps6 practiceabout 28 min
  5. Data representation and compression check 10 questions at the end

Keep exploring

More 10th grade computer skills

Guide for grown-ups