a parity check bit does: detects single-bit errors by making total 1s even/odd

Can you spot a single mistake in a secret code?

Imagine sending a secret message where you want to make sure only one letter is wrong, even if someone tries to mess with it.

Think of adding a secret marker to your message that changes depending on whether you want an even or odd number of mistakes. This marker helps you quickly spot if there's just one tiny error.

Example

You send "1011101" with an even parity marker. If one bit flips to "1011111", the total 1s count changes from even to odd, signaling an error.

Remember this

The parity check bit ensures you can quickly detect a single error in your message.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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