Why is data split into small packets before it is sent?

So that no single cable has to carry all of the data

So that the receiving computer does not need a header

So that every packet must follow exactly the same route

What does the header on each packet contain?

The sender's home address and the picture's file size

The destination address and the packet's position in the picture

The name of the router and the length of the cable

Why might packets arrive at the destination out of order?

Because routers pick paths independently and packets can take different routes

Because all packets are sent one at a time along a single cable

Because the destination computer deliberately delays some packets

Picture Sent in Pieces

Age 15 · Technology

Open to everyone until Monday, October 26

To keep it, print it while it is open.

A picture leaves one computer as several small parcels, each wrapped with an address and a position number. Each parcel travels through different routers and cables, and the receiving computer puts them back in the right order.

In the picture

The header strip on a parcel: the destination address and the position this piece holds in the picture
A router box: reads the address and forwards the parcel along one of several cables
A separate route: one parcel travels over a different set of cables from the others
Arriving parcels: placed back in order to rebuild the picture

Examples

A large photo sent in a chat app arrives as many packets that are reassembled on your friend’s phone.
Watching a video online: the chunks arrive over different paths and play in order.

Key takeaways

Data is split into small packets, so no single cable has to carry everything.
Routers pick paths independently, so packets can arrive out of order and are sorted at the end.

Quiz: Picture Sent in Pieces (Age 15)

1
Why is data split into small packets before it is sent?
- So that no single cable has to carry all of the data
- So that the receiving computer does not need a header
- So that every packet must follow exactly the same route
2
What does the header on each packet contain?
- The sender’s home address and the picture’s file size
- The destination address and the packet’s position in the picture
- The name of the router and the length of the cable
3
Why might packets arrive at the destination out of order?
- Because routers pick paths independently and packets can take different routes
- Because all packets are sent one at a time along a single cable
- Because the destination computer deliberately delays some packets

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Technology, Age 15