FC0-U71 Tech Concepts and Terminology Practice Question
Which of the following is an example of a lossy compression format?
⚠ Common exam trap
FC0-U71 often tests lossy vs. lossless by including ZIP and GIF — candidates incorrectly assume GIF is lossy because of its low color depth, but it is actually lossless within its 256-color palette.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
JPEG
JPEG uses lossy compression, discarding perceptually less important image data (via DCT quantization) to achieve high compression ratios, which is why it is ideal for photographs but not for text or line art.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
GIF
Why it's wrong here
GIF uses LZW lossless compression, preserving every pixel exactly, so it does not discard data. It is tempting because GIFs cap colours at 256, which feels lossy, but that palette limit is quantisation at creation, not compression loss. JPEG is the lossy example.
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PNG
Why it's wrong here
PNG uses lossless DEFLATE compression, preserving every pixel exactly, so it does not discard data. It tempts because PNG is common for web images, and would be correct where transparency and exact pixel reproduction are required rather than small file size.
- ✓
JPEG
Why this is correct
JPEG uses lossy compression, discarding perceptually less important colour and frequency data to achieve much smaller file sizes, which is why artefacts appear at high compression. This irreversible data loss distinguishes it from lossless formats such as PNG, GIF, and BMP that preserve every original pixel.
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ZIP
Why it's wrong here
ZIP is lossless, reconstructing the original bytes exactly, so it cannot serve as a lossy example. It tempts because ZIP is the everyday compression format, and would be the right answer if the question asked for lossless archiving of documents or software.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.