A coastal rescue centre plans to send warnings during a severe storm. Table 1 shows a trial carried out in three villages. A message was sent to 500 registe...
Question 1 Report
A coastal rescue centre plans to send warnings during a severe storm. Table 1 shows a trial carried out in three villages. A message was sent to 500 registered residents using different forms of digital communication. The centre recorded how many residents opened the warning within ten minutes and whether the method could carry a map attachment. Some residents have smartphones, but others only have a basic mobile phone. Internet access may fail during the storm.
| Method | Residents opening warning within 10 min | Can include map attachment | Works without home internet |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMS text message | 438 | No | Yes |
| Social network post | 291 | Yes | No |
| 254 | Yes | No |
(a) Which method should the centre use first if it needs the greatest number of residents to see a short warning quickly? [2]
(b) State how many residents opened the social network post within ten minutes. [2]
(c) Give two reasons why a social network post can be useful as an additional communication method. [4]
(d) Describe how the centre could provide a map link in an SMS warning even though an SMS cannot contain a map attachment. [3]
(e) Explain why using more than one type of digital communication is safer than relying only on email for this situation. [6]
Answer Details
(a) Use SMS text message first: it had the highest number opened within ten minutes, 438. [2]
(b) 291 residents opened the social-network post within ten minutes. [2]
(c) A social-network post can include a map attachment and can be shared quickly by users. It can also publish updates to many followers at once, while comments can provide questions or local information. Any two valid reasons gain credit. [4]
(d) Upload the map to a web page or online storage, copy its web address, then send a shortened URL in the SMS. The message contains the link rather than a map attachment. [3]
(e) Email requires home internet, which may fail during the storm, and it achieved only 254 openings within ten minutes. SMS works without home internet. Social media can provide maps and further updates. Combining methods reaches people with different devices, accounts and communication preferences, rather than losing everyone who cannot access email. [6]
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