Calculating File Sizes

Master calculating file sizes for images, sound, text, and storage requirements. Essential skills for GCSE Computer Science.

Converting between Units

Unit	Bytes	Bits	Relationship
1 Bit	1/8	1	8 bits = 1 byte
1 Byte	1	8	1,000 bytes = 1 KB
1 KB (Kilobyte)	1,000	8,000	1,000 KB = 1 MB
1 MB (Megabyte)	1,000,000	8,000,000	1,000 MB = 1 GB
1 GB (Gigabyte)	1,000,000,000	8,000,000,000	1,000 GB = 1 TB
1 TB (Terabyte)	1,000,000,000,000	8,000,000,000,000	-

To convert between file size units, follow this method:

Identify the starting value, unit, and target unit
Notice the relationship: each step multiplies by 1,000 (1 MB = 1,000 KB, 1 GB = 1,000 MB)
Convert directly using the relationship: divide when going to a larger unit, multiply when going to a smaller unit
If bytes are involved, convert to bytes first as an intermediate step

Question: How many MB is KB?