3.1.9

Question 1

Why is compression of data often necessary when transmitting across a network?

Answer 1

Compression is necessary to ensure efficient data transmission across networks, especially with large files such as multimedia (pictures, videos, sound).

Sending large files uncompressed would overwhelm bandwidth and cause delays leading to more time for data to be transmitted.

Question 2

What is data compression?

Answer 2

Data compression involves encoding information to use fewer bits than the original data entity.

Question 3

What is the difference between lossy compression and loss-less compression?

Answer 3

Lossy compression reduces file size by permanently removing some data, sacrificing quality for smaller storage (e.g., JPEG, MP3).

Lossless compression preserves all original data, allowing exact reconstruction, but with less reduction in file size (e.g., PNG, ZIP).