On an oscilloscope, which control should you adjust to display more cycles of a periodic signal across the screen without changing the signal itself?

Introduction:
Oscilloscopes display signals versus time. To see more cycles, you must compress the waveform horizontally (increase the time span shown) rather than alter amplitude or position. This question tests familiarity with core scope controls.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A stable, periodic input signal.
• Standard bench oscilloscope with time/div (time per division) and volts/div controls.
• Goal: show more cycles on the same screen width.

Concept / Approach:
The time/div (or time/cm) control sets the horizontal scale. Increasing this value means each division represents more time, so the total time across the graticule increases, revealing more cycles within the same width.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Identify desired outcome: more periods visible horizontally.2) Adjust time/div upward (e.g., from 0.5 ms/div to 2 ms/div).3) Observe more cycles fit across the ten divisions of the screen.4) Leave volts/div and positions unchanged; they affect vertical scale and offset, not cycles displayed.

Verification / Alternative check:
If time/div is doubled, the displayed time window doubles, and roughly twice as many cycles appear (for a constant-frequency signal).

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Horizontal/vertical position: shifts the trace; does not change scale.
Volts/cm: changes amplitude scale, not the number of cycles.
Trigger slope: affects triggering edge, not horizontal time scale.

Common Pitfalls:
Turning the volts/div knob when the goal is temporal scaling, or misinterpreting “higher setting” as faster sweep instead of greater time per division. Here “higher time/cm” means a larger time value per division.

Final Answer:
time/cm to a higher setting