Error-Correcting Codes

Messages that fix themselves

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• A parity bit detects a single flipped bit, but can’t locate it.
• Hamming(7,4) uses 3 parity bits to locate and fix any single error.
• Error-correcting codes protect QR codes, memory, Wi-Fi and space communication.

Steps

1. Noise happens
2. Set the parity bit
3. Limits of parity
4. Hamming’s trick
5. The price of protection
6. Fix the message