Computer Science

a description of a real or imagined situation

a way something is used or put into action

the use of tools, machines, or systems to solve problems or make tasks easier

Practical applications of compression

Measurements of storage

The need for compression

Lossy and lossless compression

Compression ratios

Run length encoding

Huffman coding

Comparing compression algorithms

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.

Data compression

What term describes a real or imagined situation used to explain or apply a concept?

reducing file sizes for images, audio and video

What is compression used for in everyday technology?

It increases file size for better quality.

It balances file size, quality and processing speed.

Why is compression critical for transmitting files over the internet?

Put these steps in order for selecting a compression method:

It reduces bandwidth usage and enables faster file transmission.

Why is compression important beyond saving storage space?

a set of step-by-step instructions to perform a task

a set of step-by-step instructions to reduce file size

how effectively compression reduces file size while maintaining usability

What does efficiency mean in compression?

the limitations and choices faced when optimising multiple competing factors

Why might a smaller file size not always be better?

how quickly data can be compressed or decompressed

Starter Quiz

What is an algorithm?