Assessment test

Unit 2 Data Representation

Answers
1. State how many:

(a) bits there are in a byte [1]

8
(b) bytes there are in a kilobyte [1]

1000 (Allow 1024 which is technically a kibibyte.)

(c) bytes there are in a megabyte [1]

1000 x 1000 = 1 000 000 (Allow 1024 x 1024 = 1 048 576 which is a mebibyte.)

2. A computer stores data and instructions in binary form.

(a) Explain why computers use binary. [2]
Computers use circuits which can be on or off (1), represented by 1 and 0 (1)
Computers operate using logic gates (1) which only have two states, true or false (1).

(b) Calculate the denary value of the 8-bit number 01101001. Show your working. [2]

105

(c) Convert the denary number 78 to binary. Show your working. [2]

01001110

3. Arithmetic can be performed on binary numbers.

(a) Add the following two binary numbers. [2]

1 1 1 1 1
1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1
+ 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
= 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

(b) Identify the problem that will occur if the number is to be stored in one byte. [1]

An overflow error has occurred (1) as the result is greater than 255, and cannot be
stored in one byte.

4. Binary numbers can be shifted left or right to alter their value.

(a) Perform a binary shift left of two places on the number below. [1]

0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1
1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0

(b) Explain the effect on the value of the number after a shift left :

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Unit 2 Data Representation

(i) one place: [1]

The number is multiplied by 2 (1).

(ii) two places:

The number is multiplied by four (1) but the most significant bit is lost (1); meaning
the result is not correct / cannot be held in one byte/results in overflow. [2]

5. Use the segment of the ASCII code below in this question.

(a) Convert the following binary data into text characters: [1]
01000110 01000001 01000011 01000101

Binary Character
01000001 A
01000010 B
01000011 C
01000100 D
01000101 E
01000110 F

FACE

(b) How many bytes would the following message require to store with extended ASCII?
[1]

Bring hat!
10 bytes (space and exclamation mark each have their own ASCII values).

(c) Explain one limitation of the ASCII character set. [2]

ASCII only uses 7 bits (or 8 for extended ACSII)

So it can only represent 128 (or 256) characters.

This is not enough to represent characters in other alphabets, e.g. Russian, Arabic, etc.

(d) Name a character set designed to overcome this limitation. [1]

Unicode

6. Photo editing packages often use colour codes in hexadecimal and denary rather than
binary.
(a) Convert the hexadecimal colour code 3C into binary. [2]
0011 1100

(b) Convert the denary colour code 42 into hexadecimal. Show your working. [1]

42 = 2 x 16 + 10 = 2A

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Unit 2 Data Representation

(c) Explain why colour codes are given in hexadecimal rather than binary. [2]

Easier to read / remember than binary (1) Less chance of making an error if inputting in
hex (1) as two digits represent 8 bits (1).

Any two of the three given points.

(d) A monochrome icon image imported into the photo editing package has a
resolution of 72 pixels per inch.

(i) Define the meaning of resolution. [1]

The concentration of pixels within a specific area (1).

(ii) Calculate the file size in bytes of the icon image. [2]

8x8 pixels = 64 pixels, 2 colours = 1 bit, 64 pixels x 1 bit = 64 bits / 8 = 8 bytes.

(iii) The graphic artist would like to add two additional colours to the icon. Explain how
this would affect the file size. [2]

An additional two colours would increase the bit depth / colour depth / (1) to 2 bits
per pixel / doubling the image size (1).

(iv) Extra information is stored with an image called metadata. Give two examples of
image metadata. [2]

Answers will include: Data created / date modified / author / filename / file type / bit
depth / GPS location (1) or any other reasonable meta data likely to be included
with images.

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Unit 2 Data Representation

7. Ray is recording his voice for a presentation and can adjust the bit depth that is used for the
recording.
(a) Explain the effect of increasing the bit depth on the quality of the sound file. [2]

Increasing the bit depth will mean that sound is sampled more accurately / this will
require more data per sample (1) which will improve the quality of the sound (1)

(b) Explain the effect of increasing the sample rate on the size of the sound file. [2]

Increasing the sample rate will increase the number of samples taken each second
(1) which will increase the file size (1)

(c) Ray will record 30 seconds of audio with the following settings:

Bit depth: 16-bits

sample rate: 10 KHz

Calculate the file size in bytes of the recording if it is uncompressed. [3]

file size = sample rate x duration x bit depth

= 10 000 kHz x 30 s x 16 bit
= 30 k x 16 bit
= 30 k x 16 bit
= 480 kilobits
= / 8 = 60 kilobytes

1 mark for answer

1 mark for formula correctly applied
1 mark for conversion to kilobytes.

(d) Ray needs to make sure his recording can be sent by email. Suggest a suitable file
format for the file and explain why this is a suitable format. [3]

MP3 format. (1) It is compressed, (1) will become a much smaller file, will therefore
take up less bandwidth (1) on his connection and take less time to transmit. (1) Also
some email recipients will be unable to receive large files (1) of for example more
than 5MB.

1 mark for file format with 2 marks with explanation.

Accept other suitable file formats that are compressed such as FLAC, WMA, ALAC

8. (a) Explain one key feature of lossy compression and one key feature of lossless
compression. [4]

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Unit 2 Data Representation

With lossy compression some of the original data is lost. (1) This (often) allows for a greater
level of compression (1). The data that is lost will typically not be noticeable (1).

With lossless compression the compressed file has exactly the same data as the original
(1), with a reduced file size (1). No loss in data means no loss in quality (1)

For each type of compression up to 2 marks.

(b) A list of file extensions for common file standards used on the Internet is shown below.

DOCX PDF JPG MPEG GIF MP3 ZIP

Complete the table below to show which format from the list given above should be
used for each of the following files which are to be uploaded to the Internet. [3]

File File format

A compressed file container that contains five word- ZIP

processed documents.
A high resolution photograph to be used as a background JPG
image on a web page

An audio recording downloaded from the Internet MP3

[Total 50 marks]