If the ASCII character 'G' is transmitted but the receiver interprets it as 'D', what type of transmission error best describes this situation (analyze the bit pattern change)?

Technical Questions Networking Difficulty: Medium
Choose an option
  • A
    single-bit
  • B
    multiple-bit
  • C
    burst
  • D
    recoverable
  • E
    framing

Answer

Correct Answer: burst

Explanation

Introduction / Context: Error classifications help diagnose channel issues and select suitable detection/correction schemes. When a transmitted character turns into another, the difference in their binary codes reveals whether the corruption affected one bit, several bits scattered, or a contiguous run (burst).

Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Transmitted: ‘’G’’ (ASCII 0x47 = 0100 0111 in 7-bit plus parity or 8-bit form).
  • Received: ‘’D’’ (ASCII 0x44 = 0100 0100).
  • Assume standard ASCII and negligible framing/parity overhead for this classification.

Concept / Approach: Compare the binary patterns. G = 0100 0111 and D = 0100 0100 differ in the two least-significant bits: 11 -> 00. Two adjacent bit positions changed, which is characteristic of a short burst error (contiguous bits corrupted).

Step-by-Step Solution: Write binary: G = 0100 0111.Write binary: D = 0100 0100.Identify differences: bit0 and bit1 (LSBs) flipped from 1 to 0.Adjacent flips imply a burst of length 2 rather than an isolated single-bit error.

Verification / Alternative check: Hamming distance between G and D is 2. Because the flipped bits are contiguous, it aligns with “burst” classification (a run of bits altered). If the two flipped bits were far apart, it would be multiple-bit non-burst.

Why Other Options Are Wrong: single-bit: Only one bit differs; here two do.

multiple-bit: True that multiple bits changed, but “burst” is a more precise classification given adjacency.

recoverable: Not a standard error type; recoverability depends on coding.

framing: Concerns start/stop/flag alignment, not symbol bit flips.

Common Pitfalls: Equating any 2-bit error with generic “multiple-bit.” When adjacency exists, “burst” conveys cause (e.g., short noise spike).

Final Answer: burst

Discussion & Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion