← Years 7–8 Digital Systems

Storage units: KB, MB, GB, TB

Units of storage size built on the byte. Each unit is about 1000 times bigger than the one before: 1 KB, then 1 MB, then 1 GB, then 1 TB. Use them to check if files fit on a drive.

Part of: 7-8 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Digital Systems and Security — Module 10, 7-8 Digital Technologies: Representing data with binary — Module 21, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Data compression — Module 2, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Hardware and Performance — Module 22, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Data Compression — Module 2

Understanding Storage units: KB, MB, GB, TB in Years 7–8 Digital Systems

What it does: Going from MB to GB multiplies the size by about 1000, which shows the 1000-times pattern. The sizes are added in GB, then compared with the drive space in GB, so the files fit. Each unit goes up in order: byte, KB, MB, GB, TB. So GB is bigger than MB. Plain text files are tiny, often just a few KB. A movie is usually measured in GB. Compare the units first, not just the numbers. 3 GB is about 3000 MB, which is much more than 500 MB. The order from smallest to largest is KB, MB, GB, TB, so KB is smaller than MB.

Common mistakes: Each unit is about 1000 times the one before it. A GB is 1000 MB, not 1000 KB. The line should be 1 GB = 1000 MB. Going from GB to MB gives a bigger number, so you multiply by 1000. Dividing is wrong. It should be drive_GB * 1000.

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Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 4–19) and word search (Modules 4–74).

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Learning

Duo

Which unit is bigger?

1 MB is bigger than 1 GB1 GB is bigger than 1 MB

Matches

1 KB is bigger than 1 MB

↓

The units are in the wrong order. A MB is about 1000 times bigger than a KB, so 1 MB is bigger than 1 KB.

Applying

Meanings

Term

KB, MB, GB, TB

Meaning

Units of storage size built on the byte. Each unit is about 1000 times bigger than the one before: 1 KB, then 1 MB, then 1 GB, then 1 TB. Use them to check if files fit on a drive.

Practice

1 KB = 1000 bytes

Testing

Gaps

1 = 1000 bytes

Check Answer

Spots

21 MB = 1000 KB

31 GB = 1000 KB

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Quick Questions

1. Which unit is bigger?

A. 1 GB is bigger than 1 MB ✓

B. 1 MB is bigger than 1 GB

Each unit goes up in order: byte, KB, MB, GB, TB. So GB is bigger than MB.

2. About how many MB are in 1 GB?

A. About 10 MB

B. About 1000 MB ✓

Each unit is about 1000 times bigger than the one before, so 1 GB is about 1000 MB.

3. Which list puts the units in order from smallest to biggest?

A. KB, MB, GB, TB ✓

B. KB, GB, MB, TB

The order is KB, then MB, then GB, then TB. Each step is about 1000 times bigger.

4. Which file is most likely to be measured in KB?

A. A full-length movie

B. A short text document ✓

Plain text files are tiny, often just a few KB. A movie is usually measured in GB.

5. A phone photo is about 4 MB. Which is the better estimate for 1000 of these photos?

A. About 4 GB ✓

B. About 4 KB

1000 photos x 4 MB = 4000 MB, which is about 4 GB. Going up one unit means multiplying by about 1000.

Match the Pairs

1 MB → About 1000 KB. A small photo or a short song clip is often a few MB.

1 TB → About 1000 GB. A big storage unit for a whole library of games and videos.

Each storage unit is about 1000 times bigger than the one before it, so you can convert up the ladder. → 1 GB = 1000 MB

To check if files fit on a drive, put the file sizes and the drive space in the same unit and compare. → 3 x 2 GB = 6 GB, which is less than 64 GB, so it fits

1 KB is bigger than 1 MB → The units are in the wrong order. A MB is about 1000 times bigger than a KB, so 1 MB is bigger than 1 KB.

A 500 MB game fits on a 256 KB drive → 500 MB is far bigger than 256 KB. The units were not compared. 256 KB is only about a quarter of 1 MB, so the game will not fit.

Key Term

KB, MB, GB, TB

Units of storage size built on the byte. Each unit is about 1000 times bigger than the one before: 1 KB, then 1 MB, then 1 GB, then 1 TB. Use them to check if files fit on a drive.

Fill in the Blanks

1. 1 KB = 1000 bytes

Hint: Type the smallest storage unit above the byte

2. 1 MB = 1000 KB

Hint: Type how many KB fit into one MB

3. 1 GB = 1000 MB

Hint: Type the unit that is 1000 times smaller than a GB

4. KB < MB < GB < TB

Hint: Type the unit that sits between MB and TB in size order

5. 5 MB x 200 photos = 1000 MB 1000 MB = 1 GB

Hint: Type the bigger unit that equals 1000 MB, to see if the photos fit on a 1 GB drive

Spot the Error

Question 1

A 1 KB = 1000 bytes

B 1 MB = 1000 KB

C 1 GB = 1000 KB

D 1 TB = 1000 GB

Line C — Each unit is about 1000 times the one before it. A GB is 1000 MB, not 1000 KB. The line should be 1 GB = 1000 MB.

Question 2

A photo_MB ← 4

B drive_GB ← 64

C drive_MB ← drive_GB / 1000

Line C — Going from GB to MB gives a bigger number, so you multiply by 1000. Dividing is wrong. It should be drive_GB * 1000.

Question 3

A 1 KB = 100 bytes

B 1 MB = 1000 KB

C MB is bigger than KB

Line A — A kilobyte is about 1000 bytes, not 100. The line should be 1 KB = 1000 bytes.

Question 4

A song_MB ← 5

B drive_MB ← 2 * 100

C songs ← drive_MB / song_MB

Line B — A 2 GB drive holds 2 * 1000 = 2000 MB. Multiplying by 100 gives the wrong size. It should be 2 * 1000.

Question 5

A file ← 800 MB

B 1 GB = 1000 TB

C drive ← 1 GB

D IF file < drive THEN

Line B — A GB is smaller than a TB. 1 GB is about 1000 MB, so the line should be 1 GB = 1000 MB.

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