U2Ch1L1_Bytes and File Sizes

Purpose: Students are introduced to the standard units for measuring the sizes of digital files.

Journal: Review Bit vs. Byte

• What is a Bit?
• Then What is a Byte?

Activity: Show students two files on my desktop: 1. “ Hello “ typed in Word & “Hello” typed in a basic editor (Notepad or Text Edit). Ask the students to guess the file size of each?? Now show them.  (View “Propertiies” or “Get Info”.)

• hello.txt - 5 bytes
• hello.docx = 21,969 bytes

Handout: Activity Guide – “Byes & File Sizes.”
(Explanation of different file sizes.)

• Have students research and fill out worksheet.
• Have students refer to the following two websites:
• Stanford CS 101 website
• Computer Hope

Concluding Question:
There is a physical limit to how fast Bits can be transmitted. File sizes are getting bigger. What is the solution? Hint: What is done to files to allow services like Netflix and You Tube to steam videos to us – these are large files.