Learn: Calculating Sound File Size

Welcome!You've already learned how to calculate file sizes for text and images. Today, we'll build on that knowledge to understand how to calculate sound file sizes using sample rate, duration, and bit depth.

What is Sound File Size?Sound files are stored as digital data made up of samples. The size of the file depends on how often the sound is sampled (sample rate), the length of the recording (duration), and how much detail is captured in each sample (bit depth).

Key TermsSample Rate is the number of times per second a sound is recorded (measured in Hertz).Duration is the total length of the sound file (measured in seconds).Bit Depth is the number of bits used to store each sample (e.g., 16-bit or 24-bit).

How to Calculate Sound File SizeThe formula for calculating sound file size is:File Size = Sample Rate × Duration × Bit Depth.This gives the total number of bits in the file. To convert to bytes, divide by 8, and to convert to kilobytes or megabytes, divide further by 1,000 or 1,000,000.

Why Do These Factors Matter?Sample rate affects sound quality. Higher sample rates capture more detail but increase file size.Duration directly affects the total data stored, as longer recordings need more samples.Bit depth affects how accurate each sample is. Higher bit depths provide better sound quality but increase file size.

Converting File SizeAfter calculating the file size in bits, divide by 8 to get bytes. To convert to kilobytes (KB), divide bytes by 1,000. For megabytes (MB), divide kilobytes by 1,000.

Review Time!Great work! You've learned how to calculate sound file sizes using sample rate, duration, and bit depth. Now let's test your understanding with a few questions.