Exam Tips - Storage Units

Exam Tips - Storage Units

Most common exam questions:

• "How many bytes in a kilobyte?" → 1,024 bytes (NOT 1,000!)
• "Convert X KB to MB" → Divide by 1,024
• "Convert X GB to MB" → Multiply by 1,024
• "How many MB in 2 GB?" → 2 × 1,024 = 2,048 MB
• File size calculations → Total size ÷ file size = number of files

Key conversion facts to memorize:

• 1 byte = 8 bits (ALWAYS 8, never changes)
• 1 KB = 1,024 bytes
• 1 MB = 1,024 KB
• 1 GB = 1,024 MB
• 1 TB = 1,024 GB

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Using 1,000 instead of 1,024 - WRONG for binary calculations!
• Confusing bits (b) with bytes (B) - lowercase vs uppercase matters!
• Multiplying when you should divide (or vice versa)
• Forgetting to convert to the same units before calculations
• Not showing working - always show your calculation steps!

Calculation strategy:

1. Read carefully: bits or bytes? KB, MB, or GB?
2. Convert to same units: Both in MB or both in GB
3. Choose operation: Smaller→Larger = divide, Larger→Smaller = multiply
4. Show working: Write each step clearly
5. Check answer: Does it make sense? (GB should be smaller number than MB)