Embedded Files
File Types
File Types
Nau mai, haere mai ki te whārangi "File Types"! This page will help you understand the different ways digital information is stored and organized on your devices.
Learning Objectives / Whāinga Ako
Learning Objectives / Whāinga Ako
Define what a "file type" is and explain its purpose.
Identify common file extensions (e.g., .jpg, .docx, .mp3) and what they represent.
Understand why different types of information require different file formats.
Explain how software uses file types to open and interpret data.
Getting Started / Whakataki (Prior Knowledge Required)
Getting Started / Whakataki (Prior Knowledge Required)
To get the most out of learning about File Types, it's essential to have a clear understanding of:
Digital Devices: Can you identify common digital devices? (Link to Digital Devices page)
Software & Applications: Do you know that software provides instructions and applications help you perform tasks? (Link to Software & Applications page)
Binary: Do you understand that all digital information is stored as 0s and 1s? (Link to Binary page)
Quick Check: When you save a picture on your phone, do you notice any letters at the end of its name, like ".jpg"? What do you think those letters might tell the phone?
What is a File Type?
What is a File Type?
A file type (momo kōnae) is a specific format that a computer uses to store information (data). Think of it like how different types of food are stored in different containers – you wouldn't put soup in a paper bag, right? Similarly, digital pictures, documents, and videos need different ways to be organized and saved so that digital devices and software can understand them.
Every file has a file extension, which is a short set of letters (usually three or four) that comes after the file's name, separated by a dot (e.g., document.docx, photo.jpg, song.mp3). This extension tells the Operating System and other software what kind of data is inside the file and which application should be used to open it.
Why do we have different File Types?
Different types of information (like text, images, sounds, or videos) are very different in how they need to be stored and processed. A simple text document needs a much less complex structure than a high-definition video. Using different file types allows digital devices to store and access these various forms of data efficiently.
How It Works / Me Pēhea te Mahi
How It Works / Me Pēhea te Mahi
At its core, all digital data is stored as Binary (0s and 1s). A file type provides a specific "rulebook" or structure for how these 0s and 1s are arranged to represent a particular kind of information.
When you create a document in Google Docs or take a photo with your phone's camera application, that software saves the data according to a specific file type format. For example, a drawing app might save your artwork as a .png file.
The Operating System uses the file type information to store the binary data correctly on your device's storage.
When you try to open a file, your Operating System (using File Management) looks at the file extension. It then knows which software & application is designed to "read" that specific file type. For example, a web browser knows how to display .html files, and a music player knows how to play .mp3 files.
Without file types, digital devices wouldn't know how to make sense of the endless stream of 0s and 1s, and you wouldn't be able to open your photos, listen to music, or read documents!
Common File Type Categories and Examples:
Here are some common file type categories and examples. In Google Sites, you would create sections for these using text boxes, potentially arranged side-by-side using the built-in layout options (e.g., a two-column or three-column layout) for easy reading on any device.
Documents/Text Files: Used for written content, spreadsheets, presentations.
Common Extensions: .txt, .docx (Microsoft Word Document), .pdf (Portable Document Format), .xlsx (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet), .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation).
Example Uses: Writing school reports, creating budgets, designing presentations for projects, sharing read-only documents.
Image Files: Used for photos, drawings, and other graphics.
Common Extensions: .jpg or .jpeg (Joint Photographic Experts Group), .png (Portable Network Graphics), .gif (Graphics Interchange Format).
Example Uses: Digital photography, web graphics, illustrations, memes.
Audio Files: Used for music, voice recordings, and sound effects.
Common Extensions: .mp3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3), .wav (Waveform Audio File Format), .aac (Advanced Audio Coding).
Example Uses: Listening to music, podcasts, recording voiceovers for videos.
Video Files: Used for movies, video clips, and animations.
Common Extensions: .mp4 (MPEG-4 Part 14), .mov (QuickTime Movie), .avi (Audio Video Interleave).
Example Uses: Watching films, online videos, creating your own short films.
Executable/Program Files: These files contain instructions that a computer can directly run to start or operate software.
Common Extensions: .exe (Executable - Windows), .app (Application - macOS).
Example Uses: Installing new software, running a video game directly.
Activities / Ngā Mahi
Activities / Ngā Mahi
Activity 1: File Type Detective
Task: On a computer or tablet, navigate through your own files (e.g., in "My Documents," "Pictures," or "Downloads").
Activity: Find at least four different file types (e.g., a document, an image, a song, a video). For each:
Write down the full file name (including the extension).
Identify the file type.
Name an application that can open or play that file type.
Evidence: Create a Google Doc or Google Slide listing your identified files, their types, and associated applications.
Activity 2: "Why This Type?"
Task: Consider a short text message, a photograph, and a short video clip.
Activity: Explain why each of these types of information needs a different file type to be stored efficiently on a digital device. Think about what's unique about each type of data.
Evidence: In a Google Doc, write a short paragraph for each data type explaining the need for its specific file format.
Assessment / Te Aromatawai
Assessment / Te Aromatawai
Check your understanding of File Types.
Multiple Choice: What is the main purpose of a file extension (like .jpg or .docx)?
a) To tell you who created the file.
b) To hide the file from other users.
c) To indicate the file's format and which software can open it.
d) To make the file load faster.
Short Answer: If you download a song, what is a common file extension it might have, and what kind of application would you use to play it?
Scenario: Your friend sends you a file named holiday_trip.mov.
What type of file is holiday_trip.mov?
If you don't have the right software, what might happen when you try to open it?
Key Takeaways / Mātauranga
Key Takeaways / Mātauranga
A file type defines how digital information is structured and stored.
File extensions (e.g., .png, .pdf) identify the file type.
Different information types (text, image, audio, video) require different file types.
Software & applications use file types to correctly interpret and display data.
What's Next?
What's Next?
Now that you understand the different ways digital information is stored, you're ready to explore how we manage and transmit these files, and what happens to their binary data:
File Management: Learn how to organize, store, and find your different file types efficiently on digital devices.
Binary: Revisit how the 0s and 1s fundamentally represent all these different file types.
Data Transmission: Understand how files (as collections of binary data) are sent from one digital device to another.
Computer Graphics: Explore how image and video file types are created and displayed by digital devices.
Big Data: Consider how the principles of file types and management scale up when dealing with extremely large collections of diverse digital files.
Continue your journey by clicking on the links to these exciting topics!
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