Mp3 vs Wav files - how do they operate?

I have been doing some experiments with voice recording.

With the software I have got, I made a 5 minute voice recording using a 48000 bit rate. The MP3 file size was 4.57 meg and the WAV file using the same spec was 54.9 meg.

Next I did they same thing only this time I changed the bit rate to 24000. To my surprise the MP3 file was the same size but the WAV file was half the size (27.4 meg).

Can someone explain in simple English why the MP3 file size remained unchanged but the WAV file was halved? Obviously something in the nature of the different formats.

Thank you.

Mp3 vs Wav files - how do they operate?comment boxes for myspace

because you didn't remake the mp3 after you made a smaller wav file, if you did, then the file may have become a little bit smaller, but the main difference would be the bit rate.

You are confusing the bit rate with the hertz rate (frequency) 48000Hz is common frequency. The main size difference would be with changing the encoded bitrate anywhere from 24kbps to 320kbps, common bitrates are 128, 192, 256, etc)