To what factor does a 60 dB increase in output correspond, in terms of times?

To what factor does a 60 dB increase in output correspond, in terms of times?

• A. one hundred times
• B. one thousand times
• C. ten thousand times
• D. one million times

Answer: (D)

The measurable relationship in decibels for power (or intensity) uses 10 times the log of the power ratio. A 60 dB increase means the power has increased by a factor of 10^(60/10) = 10^6, which is one million. In many instrumentation contexts, “output” refers to power or intensity, so this interpretation is the appropriate one. If you were talking about amplitude (like voltage or pressure) instead, a 60 dB increase would correspond to 10^(60/20) = 1000 times, but that’s not the standard interpretation for output power.

The measurable relationship in decibels for power (or intensity) uses 10 times the log of the power ratio. A 60 dB increase means the power has increased by a factor of 10^(60/10) = 10^6, which is one million. In many instrumentation contexts, “output” refers to power or intensity, so this interpretation is the appropriate one.

If you were talking about amplitude (like voltage or pressure) instead, a 60 dB increase would correspond to 10^(60/20) = 1000 times, but that’s not the standard interpretation for output power.