Challenge 1: Reading Flat-Topped Peaks on a Waveform — Solution Walkthrough

The answer:

Flat-topped, chopped-off peaks are the visual signature of clipping —
the recording's loudest moments were pushed past the maximum level the
format could represent, so instead of a rounded curve, the peak gets
flattened off into a hard, flat block wherever it exceeded that
ceiling.

Why this matters:

Clipped audio is often distorted in a way that can't be fully repaired
after the fact. Once a peak has actually been flattened during
recording, no amount of later editing restores the information that
was lost above that ceiling. This is why the chapter treats clipping
as a real problem to flag, not a cosmetic quirk to quietly clean up
afterward.

What to actually do about it:

Per this chapter's own reference table, the practical response is to
flag the recording for a possible re-record if that's still an option,
and to avoid pushing the gain any further on the existing file, rather
than assuming any post-processing step can undo the damage.

WHY THIS WORKS AS AN ANSWER
------------------------------
This exercise checks that flat-topped peaks are correctly identified
as clipping, and that the consequence (potentially unrepairable
distortion) is understood as a reason to treat it seriously rather
than as a minor visual detail.