Question

High frequency traders in Chicago rely on networks which communicate financial data from New York over a one-way distance of 825 miles.
If the round trip for the data through a high speed fiber optic cable takes 14.5 milliseconds, what is the speed of light through the cable?

What is the effective index of refraction in the fiber optic cable?

If the data is transmitted by microwaves through air (with index of refraction 1.0003), what is the time in milliseconds for the data to complete the round trip?

A new company approaches your employer and promises a new datalink which will have a round trip data transit time of 5 milliseconds. What is the effective index of refraction of this datalink? Should you believe this company?

Answer 1