A Mathematical View

of Our World
1
st
ed.

Parks, Musser, Trimpe,
Maurer, and Maurer
Chapter 1
Numbers in Our Lives
Section 1.1
ID Numbers and Check Digits
Goals
Study social security numbers
Study general identification numbers
Transmission errors
Check digits
Study universal product codes
1.1 Initial Problem
Can you be confident that you will be
charged the correct price if you purchase
the item with this UPC?





The solution will be given at the end of the section.
Social Security Numbers
A social security number (SSN) is
made up of:
A three-digit area number
A two-digit group number
A four-digit serial number
Area Number
XXX-XX-XXXX
Area numbers range from 001 728.
Before 1973, the area number depended
on the state in which the office issuing
the number was located.
Since 1973, the area number is
determined by the mailing address of the
applicant.
Area Number, contd
Area Number, contd
Group Number
XXX-XX-XXXX
Group numbers range from 01 99.
The group number groups together
certain social security numbers.
The group number is not determined by
any group to which a person belongs.
Group Number, contd
Group numbers are issued as follows:
First, odd numbers from 01 to 09.
Second, even numbers from 10 to 98.
Third, even numbers from 02 to 08.
Fourth, odd numbers from 11 to 99.
Serial Number
XXX-XX-XXXX

Serial numbers range from 0001 9999.
Serial numbers are issued in numerical
order from smallest to largest.
Example 1
a) Which state was listed in the mailing
address of the applicant who received the
number 501-92-3287 ?

b) Which number was issued first:
362-13-4158 or 362-14-9725 ?
Example 1, contd
a) Solution: The area number in 501-92-3287
is 501. According to Table 1.1, this social
security number was issued to someone
with a mailing address in North Dakota.

b) Solution: The group number 14 is issued
before the group number 13, so 362-14-
9725 was issued before 362-13-4158.
General ID Numbers
Many items besides people are assigned
identification numbers.
For example:
International Standard Book Numbers (ISBN)
for books
Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) for cars
Universal Product Codes (UPC) for grocery
items

General ID Numbers, contd
Identification numbers are divided into
two types:
Numeric ID numbers
Strings of digits
Alphanumeric ID numbers
Strings of digits, letters, and/or other
symbols


General ID Numbers, contd
All digits, letters, or other symbols in
an identification number are called
characters.
The length of an identification number
is the number of characters in the
string.
Spaces, dashes, or other separators are
not counted in the length of the string.

A numeric identification number can
contain:

a. numbers only.
b. letters and numbers only.
c. letters, numbers, and other
characters.
Question:
Example 2
Determine the type and length of
each ID number.
a) SSN: 876-87-6543
b) ISBN: 0-07-231821-X
c) VIN: GHN5UC265518G
d) UPC: 0 51000 01031 5
Example 2, contd
Solutions:
a) The SSN 876-87-6543 is a numeric ID
number of length 9.
b) The ISBN 0-07-231821-X is an
alphanumeric ID number of length 10.
c) The VIN GHN5UC265518G is an
alphanumeric ID number of length 13.
d) The UPC 0 51000 01031 5 is a numeric ID
number of length 12.
Transmission Errors
An error in recording, reading, or relating an
identification number is called a transmission
error.
Two common ways in which transmission
errors occur are replacement and
transposition.
One character may accidentally be replaced by a
different, incorrect, character.
Two adjacent characters may be interchanged.
Example 3
What type of error occurred in each
situation?
a) The SSN 123-45-6789 was recorded as
123-45-6798.

a) The SSN 123-45-6789 was recorded as
123-45-6788.
Example 3, contd
Solutions:
a) The last two characters 89 were
incorrectly written as 98. This is a
transposition error.

a) The last character 9 was incorrectly
written as an 8. This is a replacement
error.
Transmission Errors, contd
Suppose every possible ID number is a valid
number in the identification system being
used.
Any transmission errors in the number will result
in the wrong person or item being identified.
It will not be evident that an error was made.
Most modern ID number systems are
designed to guard against transmission
errors.
Check Digits
Additional digits added to an identification
number so that errors in transmission can be
found are called check digits.
Ideally, a check-digit system should insure
that any single-digit transmission error will
result in an invalid ID number so that the
error will be detected.
Question:
Suppose a company assigns each
employee a four-digit ID number in
which the first three digits come
from 0 through 9 and the last digit is
a check digit chosen so that the sum
of all four digits is divisible by 7. Fill
in the missing digit in the ID number
3_82.

a. 7 b. 5 c. 3 d. 1
Example 4
Suppose a biology professor assigns a
four-digit numeric ID number to each of
the almost 1000 students in his class.
The first three digits are randomly
assigned.
The fourth digit is the smallest number that
makes the sum of all 4 digits divisible by 9.
Example 4, contd
If a replacement error is made in a single
digit, it may be detected.
A 9 changed to a 0 or a 0 changed to a 9 will not
be detected.
Other single-digit errors will be detected.
Transposition errors will not be detected.
Replacement errors in two or more digits
may not be detected.

Example 5
Suppose the professor from example 4
assigns a four-digit numeric ID number with
the same check digit scheme, but using only
the digits 0 8.
Any single-digit transmission error will be
detected.
If a digit is changed to another digit from 0 8, the
sum changes and is no longer divisible by 9.
If a digit is changed to a 9, it will be recognized as an
invalid digit.
Universal Product Codes (UPC)
Almost every retail product has a 12-digit
numeric identification number, called a UPC,
printed on its packaging.
Examples of UPCs are shown below.
UPCs, contd
The first digit,
called the number
system character,
indicates the type
of product.
UPCs, contd
The first group of
five digits, called
the manufacturer
number, indicates
the company that
makes the
product.
UPCs, contd
The second group of five digits, called the
product number, indicates the specific
product being sold.
Items sold by weight are not printed with product
numbers.
Different manufacturers may use different or the
same product numbers. There is no relationship
between product numbers for various
manufacturers.
UPCs, contd
The last digit is the check digit.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
d d d d d d d d d d d d

1 3 5 7 9 11 2 4 6 8 10 12
3 1 d d d d d d d d d d d d
If the digits in a UPC are labeled as
then the check digit is chosen so that
the sum
is divisible by 10.
UPCs, contd
The check-digit scheme for UPC numbers
is a two-weight scheme.
The weights used are 3 and 1.
The sum

1 3 5 7 9 11 2 4 6 8 10 12
3 1 d d d d d d d d d d d d
is called a weighted sum.
Example 6
Answer questions a b about the
chicken broth UPCs from the example
earlier: 0 74785 00252 8 and
0 74785 50352 0.
a) What is the number system character and
what does it represent?
Solution: The number system character for
both is 0 and it indicates that the chicken
broth is a general grocery item.
Example 6, contd
b) What is the manufacturer number and
what does it represent?
Solution: The manufacturer number for
both is 74785 and it indicates that the
manufacturer is Valley Fresh Inc. (not
given in the previous table of common
manufacturers).
Example 6, contd
c) What is the product number and what
does it represent?
Solution: The product number for the
can of clear broth is 00252. The
product number for the can of fat free
broth is 50352.
Two different products from the same
company have two different product
numbers.
Example 6, contd
d) Verify that the check digits are correct.
Solution: For the can of clear broth, the
calculation is:



1 3 5 7 9 11 2 4 6 8 10 12
3 1
3 0 4 8 0 2 2 1 7 7 5 0 5 8
3 16 1 32
80
d d d d d d d d d d d d


The weighted sum is divisible by 10, so the
check digit is correct.
Example 6, contd
Solution: For the can of fat free broth, the
calculation is:



1 3 5 7 9 11 2 4 6 8 10 12
3 1
3 0 4 8 5 3 2 1 7 7 5 0 5 0
3 22 1 24
90
d d d d d d d d d d d d


The weighted sum is divisible by 10, so the
check digit is correct.
Example 7
If the first 11 digits of a UPC are 2
13576 05341, what must the check
digit be?
Example 7, contd
Solution:


12
12
12
12
3 2 3 7 0 3 1 1 1 5 6 5 4
3 16 1 21
48 21
69
d
d
d
d

Adding a 1 to 69 would make the weighted

sum divisible by 10. The check digit must be
a 1.
Example 8
The first digit of a UPC is missing. If
the remaining code is 01947 12513
3, what was the missing digit?
Example 8, contd
Solution:


1
1
1
1
3 1 4 1 5 3 1 0 9 7 2 1 3
3 14 1 22
3 42 22
3 64
d
d
d
d

The missing digit must be a 2, so that 6 +

64 = 70 will be divisible by 10.
1.1 Initial Problem Solution
Can you be confident that you will be
charged the correct price if you
purchase the item with this UPC?
Initial Problem Solution, contd
The UPC is 2 26080 80291 8.
The initial digit of 2 indicates this item is sold by
weight.
When the item was weighed a machine
produced a label with the cost $2.91 in
positions 9 through 11 of the UPC.
The check digit is 8. Using the weighted sum
check digit scheme will verify that this is correct.
The UPC is correct and you will be charged the
right amount.
Section 1.2
Modular Arithmetic and
Check Digit Schemes
Goals
Study the division algorithm
Study congruence modulo m
Study modular check digit schemes
1.2 Initial Problem
Suppose you want to buy a car. The
vehicle identification number is
1G4HP54C5KH410030.
Is this number legitimate?
The solution will be given at the end of the
section.
Numbers
Whole numbers are represented by
the numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4,

Integers are represented by the
numerals , -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3,
The Division Algorithm for
Whole Numbers
The constants a and m must be whole
numbers with m not equal to zero.
There are unique whole numbers q and r such
that a = mq + r.
The constant r, the remainder, is less than m
and greater than or equal to zero.
The constant a is the dividend, m is the
divisor, and q is the quotient.
If r = 0, we say that m divides a or write m|a.
Example 1
Use the division algorithm to find the
quotient and remainder for the divisor
5 and the dividend 21.
Example 1, contd
Solution: We see that 21 = 5(4) + 1,
so the quotient is q = 4 and the
remainder is r = 1.
Since the remainder is not 0, 5 does
not divide 21.
Example 2
Use the division algorithm to find the
quotient and remainder for the
divisor 6 and the dividend 108.
Example 2, contd
Solution: We see that 108 = 6(18) +
0, so the quotient is q = 18 and the
remainder is r = 0
Since the remainder is 0, 6 divides
108.
Division Algorithm, contd
Many check digit schemes are based on
using the division algorithm.
Usually it is the remainder from a division
that is used as a check digit.
The quotient and remainder can be
found by doing long division or by
dividing on a calculator.
Division Algorithm, contd
To find the quotient and remainder for a
whole number division using a calculator:
1) Perform the division a/m on the calculator.
The whole number portion of the result is the
quotient q.
2) Multiply the decimal portion of the result
from Step 1 by the divisor m to get an
approximation of the remainder r.
3) Round r to the nearest whole number to find
the remainder.
Example 3
Use a calculator to find the quotient
and remainder for the divisor 13 and
the dividend 543.
Example 3, contd
Solution:
1) Divide 543 by 13. The calculator shows a
result of 41.7692307692. The quotient is
41.
2) Multiply 0.7692307692 by 13. The result is
9.9999999996.
3) Round 9.9999999996 to the nearest whole
number to find the remainder. The
remainder is 10. Check that 13(41) + 10 =
543.
Question:
Find the quotient and remainder for
the divisor 39 and the dividend 217.

a. q = 22, r = 5
b. q = 0, r = 39
c. q = 5, r = 22
d. q = 3, r = 0
The Division Algorithm
for Integers
The constants a and m must be integers
with m greater than or equal to one.
There are unique integers q and r such that
a = mq + r.
The constant r, the remainder, is less than m
and greater than or equal to zero.
The constant a is the dividend, m is the
divisor, and q is the quotient.
If r = 0, we say that m divides a or write m|a.
Division Algorithm, contd
To find the quotient and remainder for an
integer division using a calculator:
1) Perform the division a/m on the
calculator.
If the result is a whole number, the
result is q.
If the result is not a whole number, q
is the next smallest negative
number.
Division Algorithm, contd
Contd:
2) Subtract q from the results from Step 1
and then multiply this value by the
divisor m to get an approximation of
the remainder r.
3) Round r to the nearest whole number
to find the remainder.
Example 4
Use a calculator to find the quotient
and remainder for the divisor 7 and
the dividend -359.
Example 4, contd
Solution:
1) Divide -359 by 7. The calculator shows a
result of -51.2857142857. The quotient is
-52.
2) Subtract -52 from -51.2857142857 to get
0.7142857143. Multiply 0.7142857143 by
7. The result is 5.0000000001.
3) Round 5.0000000001 to the nearest whole
number to find the remainder. The
remainder is 5. Check that 7(-52) + 5 =
-359.
Congruence Modulo M
The constants a, b, and m must be integers with
m greater than or equal to two.
Then if m evenly divides a b, we say a is
congruent to b modulo m.
The constant m is called the modulus, and the
phrase modulo m is often shortened to mod m.
The definition above can be written
symbolically as follows:

, mod If m a b then a b m
Question:
Choose the number below that is
NOT congruent to 85 mod 3.

a. 52
b. 55
c. 62
d. 64
Example 5
Verify each of the congruencies.
a)

Solution: 66 38 = 28 = 4(7). Since the
difference of the two integers is a multiple of
7, they are congruent mod 7.
b)

Solution: 3422 -153 = 3575 = 275(13). The
two integers are congruent mod 13.
66 38 mod7
3422 153 mod13
Modular Arithmetic
Let modulus m > 0 be a fixed integer. The
numbers a, b, and c are integers.
Modular arithmetic has the following rules:
1)
2)


3)
mod a a m
mod ,
mod
If a b m
then b a m

mod mod ,
mod
If a b m and b c m
then a c m

Modular Arithmetic, contd

4)


5)


6)

Where k is any positive integer

mod mod ,
mod
If a b m and c d m
then a c b d m



mod mod ,
mod
If a b m and c d m
then a c b d m


mod , mod
k k
If a b m then a b m
Modular Check Digit Schemes
Common choices of a modulus for
check digit schemes are 7, 9, 10, and
11.
Modular check digit schemes follow
this pattern:
If necessary, replace each non-numeric
character with a digit according to a
standard code.
Modular Check Digit Schemes
Contd:
Treat the string as a whole number or
combine the digits in some type of
weighted sum.
The check digit is the whole number r
between 0 and m 1 that is congruent
mod m to the number from step 2. If a
check digit is greater than 9, it must be
replaced by an alphanumeric character.
A Mod 9 Check Digit Scheme
An ID number has k + 1 digits, where k is
some positive integer:

The check digit, which is the last digit, is
the whole number from 0 to 8 that is
congruent modulo 9 to the number made
up of the first k digits.
1 2 1 k k
d d d d

1 1 2
mod9
k k
d d d d

Example 6
A company uses a mod 9 check digit
scheme for 5-digit ID numbers. What
is the check digit for 5368?
Example 6, contd
Solution: Calculate 5368/9 =
596.444444444.
Multiply 0.444444444 by 9 to get
3.99999999996.
The remainder, which is the check
digit, is 4. The complete ID number is
53684.
Mod 9 Check Digit Scheme, contd
The check digit in this type of scheme can
also be found through the shortcut of
casting out nines.
Add the first k digits of the ID number.
This sum must be congruent modulo 9 to the
check digit
Example: 5+3+6+8 = 22, which is
congruent to 4 mod 9. The check digit is
again found to be 4.
Example 7
A company uses a
mod 9 check digit
scheme for 5-digit
ID numbers. What
is the missing digit
in the smudged
number?
Example 7, contd
Solution: Call the missing digit X. The ID
number is 73X11. Using the procedure of
casting out nines we find that 7 + 3 + X + 1
= 11 + X must be congruent mod 9 to the
check digit 1. We see that 11 + 8 = 19,
which is 1 more than a multiple of 9. The
missing digit X must be 8.
The ID number is 73811.
Example 8
A U.S. Post Office money order has an
11 digit ID number with a mod 9 check
digit scheme.
If a money order has an ID number of
2995709918 what is the check digit
that should go in the 11
th
place in the
string?
Example 8, contd
Solution: 2995709918 is congruent
mod 9 to its check digit. The sum of its
digits is 2 + 9 + 9 + 5 + 7 + 0 + 9 + 9 +
1 + 8 = 59, which is congruent to 5 mod
9.
The check digit is 5.
The entire ID number for the money
order is 29957099185.
Example 9
Euro banknotes use a check digit scheme in
which the check digit is chosen so that the
entire serial number is divisible by 9.
The code is alphanumeric, with values
assigned to the letters as shown in the next
slide.
Example 9, contd
Example 9, contd
Suppose a 20-euro banknote has a
serial number of S07090546498
Verify that the serial number is correct.
Example 9, contd
Solution: The serial number is
S07090546498. The character S has a
value of 2.
The serial number is worth
207090546498.
The sum of its digits is 2 + 0 + 7 + 0 + 9 +
0 + 5 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 9 + 8 = 54, which is
congruent to 0 mod 9.
A Mod 7 Check Digit Scheme
An ID number has k + 1 digits, where k is
some positive integer:

The check digit, which is the last digit, is
the whole number from 0 to 6 that is
congruent modulo 7 to the number made
up of the first k digits.
1 2 1 k k
d d d d

1 1 2
mod7
k k
d d d d

Example 10
An airline ticket has an ID number with a mod 7
check digit scheme.
Verify that the number located in the bottom
center of the ticket below is a valid ID number.
Example 10, contd
Solution: The ID number is equal to
1615042694252.
For the ID number to be valid, the number
made of the first 12 digits must be
congruent to 2 mod 7.
Check that 7 divides (161504269425 2) =
161504269423, so the congruency holds and
the number is valid.
A Mod 11 Check Digit Scheme
A check digit scheme for VINs uses congruence
modulo 11.
A VIN is a 17-digit alphanumeric ID number with
values assigned to the characters according to
the table below.
Mod 11 Check Digit Scheme, contd
The check digit is the 9
th
character. A
check digit of 10 is represented by X.
A weighted sum is used with weights
of 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,
4, 3, and 2 for the characters.
1.2 Initial Problem Solution
The cars VIN is 1G4HP54C5KH410030.
Is this number legitimate?
The digit 5 in the 9
th
position is the
check digit.
Convert each letter to a digit.
The 16 digits, without the check digit, are
17487543 28410030.
Initial Problem Solution, contd
Calculate the weighted sum:
8(1) + 7(7) + 6(4) + 5(8) + 4(7) + 3(5) + 2(4)
+ 10(3) + 9(2) + 8(8) + 7(4) + 6(1) + 5(0) +
4(0) + 3(3) + 2(0) = 327.
If the VIN is valid, 327 must be congruent
modulo 11 to the check digit 5. However,
this is not the case.
The VIN is not valid. Do not buy the car.
Section 1.3
Encoding Data
Goals
Study binary codes
Morse code
UPC bar codes
Braille code
ASCII
Postnet code
1.3 Initial Problem
The envelope below has been damaged.
Use the Postnet bar code to determine the
ZIP+4 code.





The solution will be given at the end of the section.
Binary Codes
Coding methods are used to encode
numbers and other data before they
are transmitted.
A data coding system made up of two
states or symbols is called a binary
code.
Binary Codes, contd
Many common coding systems are binary
codes.
Morse code
UPC bar codes
Braille code
ASCII
Postnet code
Morse Code
In Morse code, each character is
encoded using dots and dashes.
Morse code is a binary code because it
was developed for telegraphs which have
two states, ON and OFF.
The code is created by leaving the
telegraph circuit ON or OFF for a certain
length of time.
Morse Code, contd
The circuit is ON for one unit of time
to create a dot.
The circuit is ON for three units of
time to create a dash.
The circuit is OFF for one unit of time
between any dots or dashes in a
character.
Morse Code, contd
The circuit is OFF for three units of
time between characters.
The circuit is OFF for six units of time
between words.
Morse Code, contd
The codes for each character are shown
below.
Example 1
The Morse code for the word MATH is
illustrated in the figure below.
ON is represented by a black square and OFF
by a white square.
Morse Code, contd
ON and OFF can also be represented by
the binary digits 0 and 1.
ON is represented by 1.
OFF is represented by 0.
Example: The letter A can be encoded
using 0s and 1s as shown below.
Morse Code, contd
Example 2
Convert the message MATH to
Morse code using 0s and 1s.
Example 2, contd
Solution:
M is encoded as 1110111
A is encoded as 10111
T is encoded as 111
H is encoded as 1010101
A 0 is inserted between each character.
The coded message is
1110111000101110001110001010101.
Example 3
Convert the Morse code message
10101010001010000001110001010
101000100010111010001 to
English.
Recall that the code 000 separates
characters, while 000000 separates
words.
Example 3, contd
Solution:
The first word is 1010101000101.
1010101 = H
000 = break between characters
101 = I
The first word is HI.
Example 3, contd
The second word is
1110001010101000100010111010001
111 = T
000 = break between characters
1010101 = H
1 = E
1011101 = R
1 = E
The decoded message is HI THERE
Question:
Translate the message SMILE into
Morse code.

a. 10101011101110101010111010101
b. 1010100011101110001010001011101010001
c.
101010000001110111000000101000000101110
1010000001
d.
101010001110111000101110001011101010001
01110101
UPC Bar Codes
Universal Product Code (UPC)
numbers on retail items are encoded
using a binary code.
The encoding is represented by
vertical bars.
The bars are easily read by the laser
scanner.

UPC Bar Codes, contd
Each digit is first replaced with a binary
code.
Question:
Does the UPC binary code below
represent a manufacturer number or
a product number?

1010000101110011101000

a. manufacturer number
b. product number
c. impossible to determine
UPC Bar Codes, contd
Similarly to
Morse code,
each 0 is
represented by
a white bar and
each 1 by a
black bar.
Example 4
Convert the manufacturer number 365
into a sequence of 0s and 1s.
Example 4, contd
Solution:
The digit 3 is encoded as 0111101.
The digit 6 is encoded as 0101111.
The digit 5 is encoded as 0110001.
The encoding is
011110101011110110001.
Example 5
Convert the manufacturer number 365
into a bar code.
Example 5, contd
Solution: The
individual bar
codes for 3, 6,
and 5 are
found in the
table.
Example 5, contd
Solution, contd:
The individual
bar codes are
placed in order
from left to right,
and then scaled
to look like a
UPC.
UPC Bar Codes contd
The laser scanner at the store must be
able to read:
In which direction a bar code is scanned
Where a bar code begins and ends
Various widths of bars used on different
products.
UPC Bar Codes contd
Every UPC bar code
begins and ends with a
guard bar pattern.
The pattern consists of a
white strip between two
black strips, all the same
width.
The width of each strip is
called a module and is
the unit of width for that
particular bar code.
UPC Bar Codes contd
Every UPC bar code
also has a center bar
pattern.
The pattern consists
of five alternating
strips, starting with
white.
Each strip is one
module wide.
UPC Bar Codes contd
A bar code from a can of Campbells Cream
of Chicken Soup is shown below.
Example 6
Check this bar code for Campbells
Cream of Chicken Soup. The
manufacturer number is 51000 and the
product number is 01031.
Recall that a UPC consists of a single digit,
followed by the manufacturer number, the
product number, and finally a check digit.
For general grocery items the initial digit is
0.
Example 6, contd
Solution: The first 11 digits of the UPC
number are 05100001031. The check
digit, d, must be found.
We know that the weighted sum
3(0 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 1) + 1(5 + 0 + 0 + 1 +
3 + d) must be a multiple of 10. So 6 + 9 +
d = 15 + d indicates that d must be a 5.
The UPC number is 051000010315.
Example 6, contd
Solution contd: The bar code for the UPC
051000010315 must be created.
A guard bar pattern begins the code.
The bar code for each digit in the manufacturer
number and the product number follows.
Recall that the center bar pattern goes between
the manufacturer and product codes.
A guard bar pattern ends the code.
Example 6, contd
Solution contd: The bar code is shown
below, in its initial state and its final
scaled version.
Example 6, contd
Solution contd: Compare our bar code
for the soup to a bar code from an actual
can of soup.
Braille Code
The Braille system of writing is a
binary code.
Every Braille symbol is a pattern of 6
dots, each of which is raised or not
raised.
Braille Code, contd
The Braille code for the alphabet is
shown below.
Example 7
Decode the Braille message shown
below.
Example 7, contd
Solution: Find each character in the Braille
alphabet.
The message is decoded as NEVERMORE.
ASCII
The American Standard Code for
Information Interchange (ASCII) is
used by most computers.
ASCII is pronounced ask-key.
Each character is encoded using 8
binary digits, called a byte.
ASCII, contd
ASCII, contd
A second table below gives the ASCII code
for 32 non-printing control characters.
Example 8
Convert the message from ASCII to
English.
01001000 01000101 01001100 01001100
01001111.
Example 8, contd
Solution:
01001000 = H
01000101 = E
01001100 = L
There are two of these.
01001111 = E
The message reads HELLO.
Postnet Code
The U.S. Postal Service uses a code called
Postnet to encode ZIP codes as bars.
Postnet encodes
9-digit ZIP+4 codes used on business reply
forms
11-digit ZIP+4 plus delivery-point code used on
reduced-rate business mail.
A delivery-point code consists of the last two
digits of the street address or box number.
Postnet Code, contd
Postnet uses 5 bits to allow for error
detection. The code for each digit is shown
in the table below.
Postnet Code, contd
On pieces of mail, the Postnet code is
represented as a series of bars.
The 1s are represented by tall bars.
The 0s are represented by short bars.
The Postnet bar codes are shown below.
Postnet Code, contd
Complete Postnet codes include:
Guard bars, consisting of a single tall bar
on each end.
An extra check digit before the last guard
bar.
The check digit is chosen so that the sum of
all the digits is divisible by 10.
1.3 Initial Problem Solution
The envelope below has been
damaged. Use the Postnet bar code to
determine the ZIP+4 code.
Initial Problem Solution, contd
Each set of 5 bars inside the guard bars
represents a digit. Compare the code on
the envelope to the decoding table.
Initial Problem Solution, contd
The final 0 is the check digit. The
ZIP+4 code is 80323-8510.