In television, 4 : 3 represents the

Question

In television, 4 : 3 represents the

1. A. Interlace Ratio
2. B. Maximum Horizontal Deflection
3. C. Aspect Ratio (Correct answer)
4. D. Ratio of the two diagonals

Correct Answer

Option C — Aspect Ratio

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Aspect Ratio.

Key Points

• In television, 4 : 3 denotes the aspect ratio — the ratio of the picture's width to its height.
• It means the image is 4 units wide for every 3 units tall, the standard format of analogue and early digital television.
• The interlace ratio describes the field-to-frame relationship (2 : 1 in conventional TV), which is a different quantity entirely.

Additional Information

• Modern widescreen television and HDTV use an aspect ratio of 16 : 9, while cinema commonly uses 1.85 : 1 or 2.39 : 1.
• The 4 : 3 ratio was inherited from 35 mm motion-picture film, chosen so that early television could reproduce existing cinema content without cropping.