<
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 redundancy
check}.
(1996-03-01)