Two campers on hilltops must send information to each other after dark. One camper waves a bright flag; the other flashes a flashlight in a pattern. Which solution better meets that goal?

A teacher must signal the end of recess to children spread across a big field, and some are behind a building. One plan rings a loud bell; the other raises a flag on a pole. Which plan works better?

Two students at opposite ends of a quiet library must send information to each other. The library rule is that no noise is allowed. Which solution works without breaking that constraint?

A club sends information between two treehouses by flashing a flashlight in a pattern. What is a limitation of this light signal?

Two camp groups sit far apart across a valley. A shout fades before it reaches the other side, but a large drum can be heard there. Which solution better meets the goal of sending information?

Two friends agree that one long horn blast means stop and two short blasts mean go. What do we call a whole set of agreed patterns like this, where each pattern stands for a message?

Mr. Diaz must call his class in from the yard, but many students are facing away from him and cannot see him. Which solution works, and why?

A class needs to send yes-or-no signals across a very noisy workshop where no voice can be heard. Which solution fits that need, and why?

A park must tell every hiker that a bridge ahead is closed, but no worker can be spared to stand at the trail all day. Which solution transfers that information within the constraint?

Two students stand in hallways that meet at a corner, so they cannot see each other. One plan claps a pattern; the other flashes a flashlight pattern. Which plan can still transfer the information?

A group has one lamp that can only be switched on and off. How can they use that single lamp to send many different messages?

Information must reach a station on a far hilltop as quickly as possible. One plan sends a runner with a note; the other flashes a light in an agreed pattern. Which plan better meets that goal?

Which example shows information being transferred using a pattern of light?

A drumbeat can send information if the beats follow a pattern that others understand.

What must people agree on before a secret code of short and long flashlight flashes can transfer information?

In Morse code, letters are represented by patterns of short and long signals.

Which solution would work best for sending a message across a noisy playground during the day?

A traffic light transfers information because its lamps shine brighter than the streetlights nearby, not because drivers have agreed what each color means.

A class wants to compare two ways to send the message “help” from across a field. What should they do first?

A random noise with no agreed meaning is usually a good way to transfer a clear message.