Representing Images (AQA GCSE Computer Science)

Revision Note

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Robert Hampton

Written by: Robert Hampton

Reviewed by: James Woodhouse

Pixels

What is a bitmap?

  • A bitmap image is made up of squares called pixels, meaning picture elements

  • A pixel is a single point in a image

  • Each pixel is stored as a binary code

  • Binary codes are unique to the colour in each pixel

  • A typical example of a bitmap image is a photograph

humidity-sensor-photo
  • The more colours and more detail in the image, the higher the quality of the image and the more binary that needs to be stored

Image Size & Colour Depth

What is image size?

  • image size is the total amount of pixels that make up a bitmap image

  • The image size is calculated by multiplying the height and width of the image (in pixels)

  • In general, the higher the image size the more detail in the image (higher quality)

What is colour Depth?

  • Colour depth is the number of bits stored per pixel in a bitmap image

  • The colour depth is dependent on the number of colours needed in the image

  • In general, the higher the colour depth the more detail in the image (higher quality)

  • In a black & white image the colour depth would be 1, meaning 1 bit is enough to create a unique binary code for each colour in the image (1=white, 0=black)

1-bit-bitmap-image
  • In an image with a colour depth of 2, you would have 00, 01, 10 & 11 available binary codes, so 4 colours

-2-bit-bitmap-image
  • As colour depth increases, so does the amount of colours available in an image

  • The amount of colours can be calculated as 2n (n = colour depth) 

Colour Depth

Amount of Colours

1 bit

2 (B&W)

2 bit

4

4 bit

16

8 bit

256

24 bit

16,777,216 (True Colour)

What is the impact of image size and colour depth?

  • As the image size and/or colour depth increases, the bigger the size of the file becomes on secondary storage

  • The higher the image size, the more pixels are in the image, the more bits are stored

  • The higher the colour depth, the more bits per pixel are stored

  • Striking a balance between quality and file size is always a consideration

image-5---seesaw-image-of-balance-vs-quality-here

Calculate Bitmap File Size

How do you calculate the size of a bitmap image?

  • Calculating the size of a bitmap image is carried out with the following formula:

    • Image size x colour depth OR

    • Image width x image height x colour depth

Example

Image Files

(Image size) x (Colour Depth)

Size of bitmap image = 

 

 

Image size

500 x 500

Image size = width x height

Colour Depth

24 bits

24 bits = 3 bytes

(500x500) x 24

(500x500) x 3

=

=

6,000,000 bits

750,000 bytes = 750 KB


OR

Image Files

(Image width) x (Image height) x (Colour Depth)

Size of bitmap image = 

 

 

Image width

500

 

Image height

500

 

Colour Depth

24 bits

24 bits = 3 bytes

(500 x 500 x 24)

(500 x 500 x 3)

=

=

6,000,000 bits

750,000 bytes = 750 KB

Converting Between Binary Data & Bitmaps

How do you convert binary data into a bitmap image?

  • To convert binary data into a bitmap image:

    • Image metadata is read

    • Using this information binary data can be mapped to individual pixels

    • A bitmap image is created

What is metadata?

  • Metadata is data about data

  • Metadata is additional information stored with the image, it provides context and information

  • Examples of metadata that are stored are:

    • Image size

    • Colour depth

    • Author - Who created the image?

    • Date/Time - When and what time was the image created/taken?

    • Location - Where was the image taken?

Example

  • A bitmap image with binary data:

Binary data

111111111110111011100010001100000001100000001110000011111000111111101111111111111

  • And metadata of:

    • Width: 9px

    • Height: 9px

    • Colour depth: 1 bit

  • 1 bit is a monochrome image (B&W), typically 1 = black and 0 = white

  • Every 9 pixels a new line is created

  • The resulting image would be:

Binary data

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

0

1

1

1

0

1

1

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

1

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Bitmap image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do you convert a bitmap image into binary data?

  • To convert a bitmap image into binary data:

    • Look at how many unique colours are used in the image and decide on the minimum number of bits needed to represent them (colour depth)

    • For each pixel, write down the binary code for the colour

    • Join together to create a binary bit pattern

Example

  • A bitmap image

2-bit-watermelon
  • 4 unique colours = 2 bit colour depth (white, red, green, black)

  • white = 00, red = 10, green = 01, black = 11

2-bit-watermelon-binary
  • The binary digits can be joined together to make a binary bit pattern

Worked Example

1. Define the term Pixel [1]

2. If an image has a colour depth of 4 bits, how many colours can the image represent? [1]

3. Describe the impact of changing an image size from 500x500 to 1000x1000 [2]

Answers

  1. A single point in an image [1]

  2. 16

  3. The image quality would be higher [1] the file size would be larger [1]

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Robert Hampton

Author: Robert Hampton

Expertise: Computer Science Content Creator

Rob has over 16 years' experience teaching Computer Science and ICT at KS3 & GCSE levels. Rob has demonstrated strong leadership as Head of Department since 2012 and previously supported teacher development as a Specialist Leader of Education, empowering departments to excel in Computer Science. Beyond his tech expertise, Robert embraces the virtual world as an avid gamer, conquering digital battlefields when he's not coding.

James Woodhouse

Author: James Woodhouse

Expertise: Computer Science

James graduated from the University of Sunderland with a degree in ICT and Computing education. He has over 14 years of experience both teaching and leading in Computer Science, specialising in teaching GCSE and A-level. James has held various leadership roles, including Head of Computer Science and coordinator positions for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. James has a keen interest in networking security and technologies aimed at preventing security breaches.