Imperfect Transmission

Classic programmed-learning exercises, refreshed for modern Java and presented in the current MrStyner.com portfolio style.

Modern Java noteThis archive has been refreshed for Java 25 LTS. Core language concepts remain useful, while outdated setup instructions and browser-era Java are labeled or replaced. Java 26 is the current feature release; Java 25 is used here as the stable teaching baseline.
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Answer:

Yes.

Imperfect Transmission

The "ons" and "offs" of previous signal are clear. But what if the signal is sent down a long wire and someone nearby turns on a vacuum cleaner? The graph shows the signal at the other end of the wire.

Even though the signal is noisy (at the analog level), the binary values are transmitted perfectly. You (and the electronics) can still tell that at time T1 the signal represents "off" and that at time T2 the signal represents "on" The receiving end just needs to get the binary values.


Since only the "on" "off" information matters, the analog noise is irrelevant, and the original signal is received perfectly (so far as the binary information goes.)

QUESTION 9:

If the signal were regarded as an analog signal, and exact values were important, would some information present in the first signal (before the noise) have been lost?