File Formats and Compression GCSE Resources

GCSE Computer Science: File Formats and Compression

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All Computer Science topics are covered, and each module comes complete with:

Classroom Presentations
Revision Notes
Activities & Quizzes
Mind Maps, Flashcards & Glossaries

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a file format in data representation?

A file format is the structure and organization of data within a file. It specifies how the data is stored and how it can be accessed or manipulated. Different file formats are designed to store different types of data, such as text, images, sounds, or videos.

What are the common file formats for text, image, sound, and video data?

The common file formats for text data include TXT, RTF, DOC, and PDF. For image data, common file formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, and BMP. For sound data, common file formats include WAV, MP3, and AAC. For video data, common file formats include AVI, MP4, and MOV.

What is file compression?

File compression is the process of reducing the size of a file by encoding it in a more compact form. This is done to save storage space, reduce transfer times, and improve performance. There are two main types of file compression: lossless and lossy.

What is the difference between lossless and lossy compression?

Lossless compression algorithms compress the data in a file without losing any information. This means that the original file can be fully recovered from the compressed file without any loss of quality. Examples of lossless compression formats include ZIP, GZIP, and PNG. Lossy compression algorithms, on the other hand, compress the data by removing some of the information that is deemed less important or less noticeable. This results in a smaller file size, but also in some loss of quality. Lossy compression is commonly used for compressing multimedia files, such as images, sounds, and videos.