Application Skills
Applied Information Technology – ATAR Year 11
Student Name:
Graphics and Audio files and spreadsheets
Before you start this activity, create a folder called Application skills in your AIT folder to store all
the pictures, word documents and spreadsheets that you will be using. If you haven’t already
done so, save this file into that folder.
You will need to print this document and hand it in but there will also need to be a copy of this file
and all the associated files in the above folder in order to receive full marks.
Common file formats for graphics and audio files
There are many types of graphics files formats. Each different file format has been created for
different reasons and serves different purposes. In this section you will define some of them,
explain their uses and provide examples.
Define the two main categories of graphic files:
Vector graphics
Raster graphics
Fill in the following tables by:



identifying what the file extension stands for
Explaining the main uses of each format
Providing an example
File Format: *.cgm
Stands for:
Main uses:
Example
File Format: *.svg
Stands for:
Example
Main uses:
File Format: *.bmp
Stands for:
Example
Main uses:
File Format: *.gif
Stands for:
Example
Main uses:
File Format: *.jpg
Stands for:
Main uses:
Example
File Format: *.tif
Stands for:
Example
Main uses:
File Format: *.png
Stands for:
Main uses:
Do the same for the following audio file formats
File Format: *.mp3
Stands for:
Main uses:
File Format: *.wav
Stands for:
Main uses:
File Format: *.wmv
Example
Stands for:
Main uses:
Data management for graphics files
Many graphics files are compressed. The purpose of compression is to make smaller file sizes.
Smaller file sizes mean less space required to store files and less time taken to transfer files over
networks including the internet.
The disadvantage of compression is loss of quality.
Explain the following terms:
Explanation
Lossy compression
File formats that use lossy compression
Explanation
Lossless compression
File formats that use lossless compression
Other techniques for reducing file size include cropping and resampling. In the following tables,
insert four images including:




An image before cropping
The same image after cropping
An image before resampling
The same image after resampling
Image before cropping
Image after cropping
Image before resampling
Image after resampling
Use of Spreadsheets
Microsoft Excel is a powerful number crunching application. Businesses use spreadsheets to store,
manipulate and retrieve information, perform calculations and produce visual representations of
data. An excel worksheet is made up of cells that are referenced by column headings and row
numbers. Each cell can contain three types of data:



Numbers
Strings (text)
Formulas
You task is to create two Excel spreadsheets which you could create as separate worksheets
(pages) in the same workbook (document) or as two separate documents.
Spreadsheet One
In the first spreadsheet you will demonstrate the creation and use of lookup tables. There are two
main functions associated with lookup tables which are vlookup and hlookup.
Download the Unicode spreadsheet from the IT blog and use the vlookup function to decode the
secret message that appears in decimal number form on the second page.
Once you have done that copy and paste the results underneath:
Spreadsheet Two
Create a spreadsheet of your own that contains at least 30 records such as a list of your favourite
movies, books, songs, or any other data that comes to mind.
Each column should contain a different field in your database. For instance if your subject was
movies you could have:






Name of the movie
Year the movie was made
Rating
Genre
Main star
Duration (mins)
Once you have made your spreadsheet based database you need to demonstrate the use of filters
in excel. Filters can be used to sort data by different fields or to display only data that meets
certain criteria.
Sort your data by one of the fields in your database and then paste the results here:
Filter the data by one or multiple values of one field and then paste the results here:
AIT – ATAR Year 11
Application Skills Task: Marking key
Description
Graphic and Audio File formats
 Define vector graphics
 Define raster graphics
 File formats
o Main uses
o File extension
o Example
Possible marks
2
2
10
10
7
Data management for graphic files
 Lossy compression
 Lossless compression
 Cropping
 Resampling
4
4
4
4
Spreadsheets
 Vlookup
 Filters
5
10

3
File and folder organisation
Total
65
Actual Marks