Data representation and honest visuals
Computers store everything as binary. How that data is then shown to people is a design decision — and an ethical one.
Part of your national curriculum
- Data and representation: Understand how numbers can be represented in binary, and be able to carry out simple operations on binary numbers
- Data and representation: Understand how instructions are stored and executed within a computer system, and how data of various types can be represented and manipulated digitally
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Explain how data is represented and presented
Key learning points
- • Binary and units
- • Choosing a chart
This lesson at a glance
- 25 minutes
- 12 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 12
Visual introductionPicture this
Data representation and honest visuals
Computers store everything as binary. How that data is then shown to people is a design decision — and an ethical one.
In a nutshell
Explain how data is represented and presented
Explore the idea
Part 2 of 12
Learn
Binary and units
8 bits make a byte; 1,024 bytes make a kibibyte. Images, sound and text are all numbers underneath, differing only in how they are decoded.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 12
Learn
Choosing a chart
Bar charts compare categories, line graphs show change over time, scatter graphs show relationships. Pie charts fail with many slices.
Reset break
Part 4 of 12
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 3 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 5 of 12
Quick check
Part 6 of 12
Quick check
Part 7 of 12
Reset break
Part 8 of 12
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 3 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 9 of 12
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 10 of 12
Game · Recall cards
What is the denary value of the binary number 1011?
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 11 of 12
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Data representation and honest visuals
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. What is the denary value of the binary number 1011?
2. 8 bits are…
3. Change over time is best shown by…
4. Images are stored as…
Lesson round-up
Part 12 of 12
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
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Games
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Points this lesson
0
Best run
0 in a row
Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 12 · Watch & discover
How this is going
- Not looked at yet
Understand how numbers can be represented in binary, and be able to carry out simple operations on binary numbers
- Not looked at yet
Understand how instructions are stored and executed within a computer system, and how data of various types can be represented and manipulated digitally