Big idea. A computer stores everything as bits. A pattern of bits means nothing until we agree how to read it.
Outcomes served. O2 (explain how numbers, text and other data are represented in binary).
Plan your six hours
| Part | Minutes |
|---|---|
| Opener and orientation (this page) | 15 |
| M2.L1 Bits and binary numbers | 55 |
| M2.L2 Converting numbers | 50 |
| M2.L3 Representing text | 50 |
| M2.L4 Pictures and file sizes | 50 |
| Practice set | 35 |
| Lab: Encode a message | 50 |
| Mastery checkpoint | 30 |
| Discussion prompt and recap | 25 |
| Total | 360 (6 hours) |
Assumed. Module 1: stating a problem exactly and tracing steps by hand. Arithmetic with powers of two is introduced here.
Where this topic appears in practice. Anyone who works with files, passwords, images or data transfer meets these ideas: why an 8-bit value cannot exceed 255, why text files differ in size from images, and why a photo takes far more space than a sentence. See the encyclopedia entry on the computer.
Privacy. Your answers stay with you. This course does not store, collect or send anything you write or tick.