Mayday

Max mistakenly uses 'mayday' to ask for help with library books. The video explains the origin of 'mayday' as a distress signal, introduced by Frederick Stanley Mockford in 1923, to replace SOS in radio communications. The term 'mayday' was chosen for its phonetic similarity to the French 'M'aider', meaning 'Help Me'. It became an international distress signal in 1927. Max learns that 'mayday' signifies an emergency, not just a call for help, and apologizes for the confusion.

Why is it recommended to repeat the word 'mayday' three times during a distress call?

What was the distress signal used before 'mayday' became the standard?