Fundamentals of Multimedia System: Chapters 1-3 Worksheet

Chapter 1: Introduction to Multimedia

1. What is Multimedia from a Information Technology student's perspective and what are

multimedia system characteristics?

2. What is the key difference between Hypertext and Hypermedia?

3. What is the primary purpose of SMIL?

4. Identify three novel applications of the Internet or multimedia applications. Discuss why

you think these are novel.

5. Briefly explain, in your own words, "Memex" and its role regarding hypertext. Could we

carry out the Memex task today? How do you use Memex ideas in your own work?

6. The evolution from Vannevar Bush's Memex to the modern World Wide Web involved

several key conceptual steps. Identify three of these steps from the chapter's timeline

and explain how each built upon the previous to advance the core idea of associative, non-

linear information access.

Chapter 2: Multimedia Authoring and Tools

1. What is Multimedia Authoring and list authoring tools characteristics?

2. Describe the "Cast/Score/Scripting" authoring metaphor.

3. What is the main goal of the "Storyboarding" phase in multimedia production?

4. What is "Gamma Correction" and why is it necessary?

5. Compare and Contrast the "Iconic/Flow-Control" (e.g., Authorware) and

"Cast/Score/Scripting" (e.g., Director) authoring metaphors. Discuss the types of projects

or developers for which each metaphor would be best suited, justifying your reasoning.

6. The chapter categorizes multimedia software tools (e.g., Photoshop, Premiere, Director).

Critically analyze this categorization. Could a complex multimedia project be completed

using only one category of tool? Justify your answer by describing the unique role of at

least two different categories.

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 Chapter 3: Graphics and Image Data Representations

1. What is the fundamental difference between a 1-bit image and an 8-bit grayscale image?
2. What is Dithering and why is it used explaining the ordered dithering algorithem?
3. What is the main advantage of the JPEG image format?
4. How does an 8-bit color image (using a Color Lookup Table) achieve a reasonable color
representation with only 256 colors?
5. A medical imaging system uses a monochrome (grayscale) display with a bit depth of 12 bits
per pixel. How many shades of gray can it represent?

6. An image has a resolution of 1200 pixels by 800 pixels.

a. Calculate the total number of pixels in the image.

i. Calculation: ____________________
b. If the image is in 24-bit Truecolor (3 bytes per pixel), what is the uncompressed file
size in bytes and Megabytes (MB)?

i. Size in Bytes: ____________________

8. What is the primary visual difference between an image with a color depth of 8-bit (256
colors) and one with 24-bit (16.7 million colors)?

9. Describe the step-by-step process of the Median-Cut Algorithm for generating an optimal
256-color palette from a 24-bit image. Why is this method superior to a simple uniform
quantization of the RGB color cube?

10. Trace the data pathway of a single pixel from a 24-bit source image to its final display on a
screen and its potential reproduction on a printed page. Your answer must include
discussions of Color Models, Gamma Correction, and Dithering.

11. Briefly explain why we need to be able to have less than 24-bit color and why this makes for
a problem. Generally, what do we need to do to adaptively transform 24-bit color values to
8-bit ones?

12. Suppose we decide to quantize an 8-bit grayscale image down to just 2 bits of accuracy.
What is the simplest way to do so? What ranges of byte values in the original image are
mapped to what quantized values?

13. Suppose we have a 5-bit gray scale image. What size of ordered dither matrix do we need
to display the image on a I-bit printer?

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 14. Suppose we have available 24 bits per pixel for a color image. However, we notice that
humans are more sensitive to R and G than to B - in fact, 1.5 times more sensitive to R or G
than to B. How could we best make use of the bits available?

15. For the color LUT problem, tryout the median-cut algorithm on a sample image. Explain
briefly why it is that this algorithm, carried out on an image of red apples, puts more color
gradation in the resulting 24-bit color image where it is needed, among the reds.

Note: A Note on AI and Your Learning

"A Note on AI and Your Learning: The primary goal of this worksheet is to activate your

brain and solidify your understanding of the core concepts. The real learning happens when you recall, process,

and articulate the answers in your own words.

Therefore, I strongly recommend that you do not use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Deepseek) to
answer these questions. Here’s why:

 Struggle is Learning: The effort you put into retrieving information from your memory and constructing an
answer strengthens your neural pathways, making it easier to recall this information during an exam.
 AI Can Be Misleading: AI models can generate plausible-sounding but incorrect or outdated explanations for
specialized topics. Relying on them can embed misunderstandings.
 This is Your Diagnostic: Your honest answers are a feedback tool for both you and me. They show me where
the class needs more review and show you where you need to focus your study time.

If you are stuck, please revisit the textbook and your notes first. If you're still unsure, note down your
question and bring it to class or my office hours."

Mr. Habtamu Abate

Lecturer Information Technology Department

Email: [email protected]

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