Error Detection Methods

Abstract

The use of check digits with identification numbers for error detection is now standard practice. Notable exceptions such as social security numbers, telephone numbers and serial numbers on currency predate computers. Despite their ubiquity and utility, few people are knowledgeable about the myriad of check digit schemes in use by businesses. In this article we survey many of these schemes. Among them are three that have not been described in journal articles previously. Categories and Subject Descriptors: A.1 [Introductory and Survey]; E.4 [Error Control Codes]; G.2 [Discrete Mathematics]. © 1996, ACM. All rights reserved.