Question

Kerry wants to buy a new computer, but she does not understand what the different parts of a computer do.

Kerry has 5GB of files to transfer from her laptop at work to her new computer. She has been told an external solid state device to do this.

(i) Give one example of a solid state device.

(ii) Identify whether the device given part (i) is an example of primary or secondary memory.

(iii) * Kerry was originally going to use an optional storage device to transfer her files.

Discuss whether an optional or solid state device is the most appropriate media to transfer these files.

You may want to consider the following characteristics in your answer.

· portability
· robustness
· capacity
· cost

(iv) The file sizes of Kerry's files are usually displayed in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB).

Calculate how many MB in 5GB. Show your working.

Answer 1

(i) An example of a solid state device is a USB flash drive.

(ii) A USB flash drive is an example of secondary memory.

(iii) A solid state device would be the most appropriate media to transfer these files. Solid state devices, such as USB flash drives, are very portable and can easily be carried around in a pocket or on a keychain. They are also very robust, with no moving parts that can be damaged if dropped or bumped. In terms of capacity, solid state devices are available in a wide range of sizes, from a few gigabytes to several terabytes. While they may be slightly more expensive than optional storage devices, their portability and robustness make them a better choice for transferring files.

(iv) To convert GB to MB, we multiply by 1024 (since there are 1024 MB in a GB):

5 GB * 1024 MB/GB = 5120 MB.

Therefore, there are 5120 MB in 5 GB.