Creating a UPC Barcode
Instructions for Use
1. Click on “Show Partition”. This divides the barcode into 95 equal partitions. Write a sequence of the 95 binary digits. If the area is Black = 1, White = 0.
2. Click on “Show Binary” to check your answer.
3. Notice how the barcode is further partitioned into subsections (the darker lines).
· The 1st subsection includes three digits.
· The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th subsections each include seven digits.
· The 8th subsection includes five digits.
· The 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th subsections include seven digits.
· The 15th subsection contains three digits.
· The 1st subsection is known as the Left Guard, the 8th subsection as the Middle Guard, and the 15th subsection as the Right Guard.
4. Click on “Show Codes”. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th subsections will be Left-Side Codes. The 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th subsections will be Right-Side Codes. Write the corresponding number for each subsection.
5. Click on “Show UPC” to double check your answer.
6. This is the UPC code that is printed on packages. Go to http://www.upcitemdb.com/ and type in your 12-digit UPC code to discover where this UPC code comes from. Where did this UPC code come from?
Questions to Guide Learning
1. How are the Left and Right-Side Codes similar?
2. How are the Left and Right-Side Codes different?
3. How do you think the computer knows which way the code is oriented?