Which feature is enabled by digital telemetry that is harder with analog?

• A. Error detection through discrete symbols; digital enables easier processing and storage.
• B. Easier power efficiency due to continuous transmission.
• C. Higher data rates with analog signals.
• D. Digital signals cannot be processed.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that turning the signal into discrete symbols (bits) makes error detection straightforward and enables easy processing and storage. With digital telemetry, data are represented as 0s and 1s, so you can apply error-detecting codes like parity, CRC, or more advanced error-correcting codes. If a bit flips due to noise, the receiver can spot the mismatch against the expected pattern and often correct it or request a retransmission. The discrete symbol structure also makes storing and manipulating data simple for later analysis or transmission retries.

In contrast, analog signals are continuous, so small changes from noise can blend into the signal in a way that’s harder to identify as an exact error. Without discrete boundaries, detecting and correcting mistakes requires more complex estimation and processing, and there’s no natural, universal way to verify integrity as there is with binary symbols.

That’s why the feature described—error detection through discrete symbols enabled by digital formats—is the best fit. The other statements don’t capture this key advantage: power efficiency and continuous transmission aren’t guaranteed advantages of digital; higher data rates aren’t inherently tied to analog; and digital signals can indeed be processed.