The equipment that enables the sending and receiving of typed documents is the fax machine. Printers, scanners, and email fulfill different functions in the document creation and sharing process. The evolution of word processors and high-quality laser printers has largely replaced the need for fax machines.
The piece of equipment that allows you to send and receive typed documents is the fax machine. A fax machine essentially scans a document and sends the image through telephone lines to a receiving fax machine, which then prints a copy of the image. This technology has been widely used for business and personal communication, especially before email became prevalent.
In contrast, a printer is typically used to print documents from a computer, and it does not have the capability to send or receive documents. A scanner can only digitize documents, and while email electronically sends written communications and documents, it does so through the internet and is not a physical piece of equipment like a fax machine.
It's important to mention that the advent of word processors and desktop publishing software on personal computers has enabled the creation of high-quality documents, similar to those that are professionally typeset. This modern technology, along with laser printers that produce high-resolution images and text, has largely superseded older methods like fax machines for document creation and sharing.