What is defined as the number of cycles a signal completes in a set time period?

The correct answer is frequency, which is defined as the number of cycles a signal completes in a set time period, typically measured in hertz (Hz). In telecommunications and networking, frequency is a crucial concept that indicates how often a repetitive signal occurs in one second. For instance, a signal with a frequency of 50 Hz completes 50 cycles in one second.

Amplitude refers to the strength or intensity of the signal rather than how often it repeats; it measures the maximum variation from the average value in a waveform. Wavelength pertains to the distance between successive peaks or troughs in a wave rather than the number of cycles over time. Voltage measures electrical potential and is also unrelated to the frequency of oscillation in a signal.

Understanding frequency is essential in applications such as telecommunications, where different frequencies are used for various channels of communication, influencing signal propagation and performance.