data representation computer science ks3

Data Representation in Computing: Bring Data to Life

CO209 Online course

Learn how data is represented through media; audio, visual and text.

Learn how data is represented through media; audio, visual and text. This online course explores how computers do interesting things with data. You’ll discover how to represent and manipulate text, images and sound and compression and other algorithms.

Due to its section on the representation of images, this course includes several steps and questions based around visual content.

Who is it for?

We recommend that learners have a basic understanding of Python, for example gained from our Programming 101 course for beginners

An understanding of binary is helpful but not necessary (you may be interested in our How Computers Work course)

Topics covered

You'll cover the following topics:

• how computers use binary
• Hexadecimal
• using binary to represent colours
• how bitmap images use binary 
• how sound files are stored
• compression

How will you learn?

This online, self-paced course can be completed flexibly. You can join and start this course at any time after the advertised date. This course is not facilitated. You can learn independently or with colleagues to directly address your individual needs.

You will be able to:

• Describe how computers represent text, images and sound in binary 
• Explain how text is represented digitally by using common text encoding (ASCII and UTF-8) 
• Produce your own emoji in bitmap and vector form 
• Investigate the physics of sound, and how sampling allows computers to represent sounds 
• Compare lossy and lossless compression

This course is part of the KS3 and GCSE Computer Science subject knowledge certificate

Key stage 3 and GCSE Computer Science certificate

Our certificate is designed to help you develop or refresh your computer science subject knowledge.

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KS3 Data and data representation

How does a computer store an image? What happens if we decrease the quality of an image file? Can we recreate the original image if we decrease its' quality? Are there ways to reduce the size of an audio file without losing the quality of the audio when it is played back?

Understanding data and how it is represented within the computer system can help students become better programmers and better able to understand the limitations of the data processing. Knowing that no matter how much an image is enhanced no extra details can be added, or that if an audio track is down sampled data is going to be lost are both fundamental to understanding. 

Data Representation: Bitmap Images

Quality Assured Category: Computing Publisher: Nichola Wilkin Ltd

A lesson plan and series of activities to help students understand that bitmapped images are built up purely of pixels. This includes a spreadsheet designed to represent monochrome and then simple colour images. The effect of increasing the range of colours available and its' effect on file size is discussed in some depth. 

Bitmap canvas editor in Excel

Quality Assured Category: Computing Publisher:

Although this resource does not contain any instructions for how to use it in a lesson, or lesson plans to go with it, it could easily be used to support the delivery of other activities as students learn about how images are created and stored, as well as how they are represented in the memory of a computer. Asking students to experiment with the images they are able to generate using this tool should give them a firmer grasp of how pixel data can be encoded in an image file

Binary and bitmapped images

A series of spreadsheet-based activities to simulate both binary and hexadecimal encoded image files. The students are required to convert between binary and hexadecimal as well as too and from denary as part of the process of solving these puzzles. The worksheet contains a number of example pictures which the students are required to recreate. There are a number of revised spreadsheet files each with slightly modified versions to enable different variants of the basic process to be undertaken by the students. 

Colour by Numbers - Image representation

Quality Assured Category: Computing Publisher: Computer Science Unplugged

A resource from CS Unplugged which looks at ways in which images can be represented by black and white pixels. It includes a number of activities to help students look at the way in which Run Length Encoding can be used to minimise the actual size of data which has to be transmitted by a fax machine (or stored on a disk). A discussion of the underlying ideas is included. 

Introduction to sound and music computing

A highly technical overview of how sound is represented in a computer, how digitising sound changes the quality of it and how reducing the sample rates can effect the resulting audio. The resource also comes with a number of sound samples to illustrate these concepts, along with both Python and Scratch programs to enable students to investigate further

Making data digital

This resource consists of a presentation which looks in various ways at how digital images and sounds are quantified in such a way that the computer can store and interpret them. This looks at the effects of digitising different types of data, and the effect that this has on both the size and the quality of the resulting files. It may be necessary to produce some supporting activities for students to undertake in lessons, to support their understanding of the content of this presentation. 

Count the Dots - Binary Numbers

An introduction to the binary number system, this activity from CS Unplugged explains the theories which underpin the use of base 2, as well as why and how computers use this as their fundamental building block. A series of activities are included to help consolidate students understanding of the binary system, and include discussion of how characters and other types of data can be encoded. 

Computational thinking and algorithms

Quality Assured Category: Computing Publisher: Computing At School

An unplugged activity to convert binary numbers into coordinates that enable students to recreate an image using values given in binary. The resource also includes a spreadsheet which can be used to make more complex images for use with students at a more advanced level. The presentation is more of a discussion of computational thinking and is not really relevant to this activity. Once students have completed the activity for themselves, they could be asked to create their own image in a similar way to the one they have recreated, and generate a coordinate list for their image in binary. The discussions listed in the activity sheet should also be useful to broaden students understanding of the use of binary as well as how it might be possible to speed up a computer system in similar situations. 

You Can Say That Again! - Text Compression

Reducing the amount of space that information occupies in a computer memory can make it easier to store more data, this activity from CS Unplugged looks at how text can be compressed so that no information is lost, but the overall file size can be significantly reduced. A series of activities to consolidate these ideas are presented along with an in depth discussion of what is going on in terms of the underlying computer science. 

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Knowledge Organiser and Revision Sheet: Year 8 Data Representation

Subject: Computing

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

27 November 2021

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The following resources work in conjunction with KS3 Computer Science: Data Representation - Year 8 . This knowledge organiser includes all the topics learned within this unit of work into one single page.

The revision sheet helps your students to prepare for the end of unit assessment while also developing independent learning skills!

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KS3 Computer Science SUPER BUNDLE!

This huge bundle includes all my key stage 3 computer science units of work as well as knowledge organisers and revision sheets to help prepare your students for their final assessments (all included). Full solutions are also included. This bundle contains: * Computer Systems - Year 7 * Computer Systems - Year 8 * KS3 Networks * Computational Thinking for KS3 * Algorithm Design - Year 7 * Algorithm Design - Year 8 * Data Representation - Year 7 * Data Representation - Year 8 Also includes knowledge organisers and revision sheets and starter activities! Purchase all these resources within this bundle and you will save over 25% individual resource price!

KS3 Computer Science - Data Representation

This bundle includes both my Year 7 & Year 8 data representation units of work as well as knowledge organisers and revision sheets to help support students within their final assessments. Purchase both units together and save 25% off individual cost!

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Computer Science > Machine Learning

Title: kan: kolmogorov-arnold networks.

Abstract: Inspired by the Kolmogorov-Arnold representation theorem, we propose Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KANs) as promising alternatives to Multi-Layer Perceptrons (MLPs). While MLPs have fixed activation functions on nodes ("neurons"), KANs have learnable activation functions on edges ("weights"). KANs have no linear weights at all -- every weight parameter is replaced by a univariate function parametrized as a spline. We show that this seemingly simple change makes KANs outperform MLPs in terms of accuracy and interpretability. For accuracy, much smaller KANs can achieve comparable or better accuracy than much larger MLPs in data fitting and PDE solving. Theoretically and empirically, KANs possess faster neural scaling laws than MLPs. For interpretability, KANs can be intuitively visualized and can easily interact with human users. Through two examples in mathematics and physics, KANs are shown to be useful collaborators helping scientists (re)discover mathematical and physical laws. In summary, KANs are promising alternatives for MLPs, opening opportunities for further improving today's deep learning models which rely heavily on MLPs.

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Teach Computer Science

Encryption Algorithms KS3 Resources

Teach ks3 students encryption algorithms, save hours of prep.

Do you want to save hours of lesson preparation time? Get your evenings and weekends back and focus your time where it's needed! Be fully prepared with presentations, notes, activities, and more.

All Computer Science topics are covered, and each module comes complete with:

• Classroom Presentations
• Revision Notes
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• Mind Maps, Flashcards & Glossaries

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Frequently Asked Questions About KS3 Encryption Algorithms

What is an encryption algorithm.

An encryption algorithm is a mathematical formula or set of steps that is used to transform plaintext data into an encrypted, or ciphertext, form that can only be decrypted with the right key.

How does encryption work?

Encryption works by using a secret key to transform plaintext data into an unreadable form. The encrypted data is then decrypted using the same key, which allows the recipient to access the original data.

What are the main types of encryption algorithms?

The main types of encryption algorithms are symmetric and asymmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.

What are some examples of encryption algorithms?

Examples of encryption algorithms include AES, DES, RSA, and Blowfish. Each algorithm has its own strengths and weaknesses, and it is important to choose the right one for your specific needs based on factors such as security, speed, and ease of implementation.

What is the importance of encryption algorithms?

Encryption algorithms are important for protecting sensitive information, such as financial and personal data, from unauthorized access or theft. They also provide confidentiality and integrity for electronic communications and data storage, helping to ensure that sensitive information is not intercepted or altered during transmission or storage. In an increasingly digital world, the use of encryption algorithms has become essential for protecting sensitive information and maintaining privacy and security online.