parity

storage, communications An extra bit added to a byte or

word to reveal errors in storage (in RAM or disk) or

transmission. Even (odd) parity means that the parity bit is

set so that there are an even (odd) number of one bits in the

word, including the parity bit. A single parity bit can only

reveal single bit errors since if an even number of bits are

wrong then the parity bit will not change. Moreover, it is

not possible to tell which bit is wrong, as it is with more

sophisticated error detection and correction systems.

See also longitudinal parity, checksum, cyclic redundancycheck.

(1996-03-01)