Final answer:
An Erlang unit is a telecommunications measurement representing the continuous use of one voice path. It is used to model and manage telephone network traffic, helping to determine the necessary circuit capacity. The correct answer is that an Erlang is a measure of the number of calls received.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Erlang unit is a unit of measurement used in telecommunications to quantify the load or the amount of occupied bandwidth on a telecommunications circuit. It is a dimensionless unit that represents the continuous use of one voice path. Specifically, it is used to design and manage telephone networks by modeling the number of calls or the amount of traffic that can be carried on the network.
An Erlang represents the continuous use of a voice path. For example, if a circuit is used for 30 minutes in an hour, that is considered 0.5 Erlangs. This measure is instrumental in understanding the capacity requirements for a telecommunications system. It helps determine how many phone lines are needed to handle a certain volume of calls without excessive waiting or blocking. The correct answer to the question is:
Option 1: A measure of the number of telephone calls received
However, this is a simplified description. Erlang calculations can be quite complex and involve different formulas such as Erlang B, Erlang C, and Extended Erlang B, each serving different scenarios and assumptions in a phone call system.