Choosing settings: quality versus file size

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. A student records a voice message to send on a chat app. Which setting is the better choice?

A A very high sample rate, because voice messages must be studio quality

B A low sample rate, because speech stays clear and the file stays small

2. A band wants to release a song for streaming. Which choice fits best?

A A high sample rate and sample resolution, because listeners expect accurate, detailed sound

B The lowest sample rate possible, because a small file is always the top priority

3. A web designer is making a small thumbnail for a web page. Which image settings suit it?

A Very high resolution and a large colour depth, so it matches a print photo

B Low resolution and a small colour depth, so the page loads quickly

4. A photographer wants a poster-sized print of a holiday photo. Which is the better choice?

A A high resolution and a high colour depth, because the image is enlarged and detail matters

B A low resolution to save storage, because print size does not affect the pixels needed

5. Which statement describes the trade-off when choosing media settings?

A Higher quality settings give a larger file, so you pick the lowest setting that is good enough

B Higher quality settings give a smaller file, so you should always pick the highest setting

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1sample_rate = 8000		AA high sample rate that suits music because it captures more detail, but makes the file bigger
2sample_rate = 44100		Bresolution = 4000 x 3000, colour_depth = 24 bits
3A small web thumbnail only needs a low image resolution and a small colour depth to load fast		CThe answer gives the effect on size but does not justify it: a low rate would make music sound poor, so quality is lost and the scenario is not considered.
4A print photo needs a high image resolution and a large colour depth so it looks sharp and realistic		DThis ignores the trade-off: higher settings give bigger files that use more storage and take longer to send, so the choice should fit the scenario.
5Answer: Use the highest settings for every file because quality is all that matters.		Eresolution = 150 x 100, colour_depth = 8 bits
6Answer: Use a low sample rate for the music file because it makes the file smaller.		FA low sample rate that is good enough for a voice message and keeps the file small

Definitions

trade-off

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

IF clip = "voice" THEN sampleRate ← ___ ENDIF

IF use = "print" THEN imageResolution ← ____ ENDIF

IF fileSize _ spaceAvailable THEN sampleRate ← LOW ENDIF

IF type = "music" THEN sampleRate ← HIGH ____ sampleRate ← LOW

fileSize ← rate * __________ * seconds

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A use = "voice message"

B if use = "voice message":

C rate = 8000

D else:

E rate = 44100

Question 2

A use = "music"

B if use == "music"

C rate = 44100

Question 3

A use = "web thumbnail"

B if use == "web thumbnail":

C depth == 8

D else:

E depth = 24

Question 4

A depth = 8

B colours = 2 * depth

C print(colours)

Question 5

A define count_colours(depth):

B return 2 ** depth

C print(count_colours(8))

Answer Key

Choosing settings: quality versus file size

Section A: Quick Questions

B — A low sample rate, because speech stays clear and the file stays small

A — A high sample rate and sample resolution, because listeners expect accurate, detailed sound

B — Low resolution and a small colour depth, so the page loads quickly

A — A high resolution and a high colour depth, because the image is enlarged and detail matters

A — Higher quality settings give a larger file, so you pick the lowest setting that is good enough

Section B: Match the Pairs

sample_rate = 8000 → A low sample rate that is good enough for a voice message and keeps the file small

sample_rate = 44100 → A high sample rate that suits music because it captures more detail, but makes the file bigger

A small web thumbnail only needs a low image resolution and a small colour depth to load fast → resolution = 150 x 100, colour_depth = 8 bits

A print photo needs a high image resolution and a large colour depth so it looks sharp and realistic → resolution = 4000 x 3000, colour_depth = 24 bits

Answer: Use the highest settings for every file because quality is all that matters. → This ignores the trade-off: higher settings give bigger files that use more storage and take longer to send, so the choice should fit the scenario.

Answer: Use a low sample rate for the music file because it makes the file smaller. → The answer gives the effect on size but does not justify it: a low rate would make music sound poor, so quality is lost and the scenario is not considered.

Section C: Definitions

trade-off — Balancing quality against file size: pick the lowest sample rate, resolution or colour depth that still looks or sounds good enough, so the file stays small enough to store or send.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

IF clip = "voice" THEN
  sampleRate ← LOW
ENDIF

IF use = "print" THEN
  imageResolution ← HIGH
ENDIF

IF fileSize > spaceAvailable THEN
  sampleRate ← LOW
ENDIF

IF type = "music" THEN
  sampleRate ← HIGH
ELSE
  sampleRate ← LOW

fileSize ← rate * resolution * seconds

Section E: Spot the Error

B — A single = assigns a value. To compare use with the text you need ==, so the line should be if use == "voice message":.

B — An if statement must end with a colon. The line should be if use == "music": so the indented line belongs to it.

C — == compares values and does not store anything. To set a small colour depth for the thumbnail you need the assignment depth = 8.

B — The number of colours is 2 to the power of the colour depth, so it needs ** and not *. 8 bits gives 256 colours, not 16.

A — A function is created with the keyword def, not define. The line should be def count_colours(depth):.