Editing Error detection and correction (section)

=== Parity bit ===
{{Main|Parity bit}}
A ''parity bit'' is a bit that is added to a group of source bits to ensure that the number of set bits (i.e., bits with value 1) in the outcome is even or odd. It is a very simple scheme that can be used to detect single or any other odd number (i.e., three, five, etc.) of errors in the output. An even number of flipped bits will make the parity bit appear correct even though the data is erroneous.

Parity bits added to each ''word'' sent are called [[transverse redundancy check]]s, while those added at the end of a stream of ''words'' are called [[longitudinal redundancy check]]s.  For example, if each of a series of m-bit ''words'' has a parity bit added, showing whether there were an odd or even number of ones in that word, any word with a single error in it will be detected. It will not be known where in the word the error is, however. If, in addition, after each stream of n words a parity sum is sent, each bit of which shows whether there were an odd or even number of ones at that bit-position sent in the most recent group, the exact position of the error can be determined and the error corrected. This method is only guaranteed to be effective, however, if there are no more than 1 error in every group of n words.  With more error correction bits, more errors can be detected and in some cases corrected.

There are also other bit-grouping techniques.