To automate the process of transportation, storage and sale of goods, it was thought up to mark them with a special alternation of white and black stripes. This alternation is called a barcode.
Instructions
Step 1
To read these codes, special scanners are intended, which are connected to a computer, and the goods are either written off from the warehouse or sold in the store. Arabic numerals are printed under the stripes. Their number depends on the adopted standard. The most common standard is the European EAN-13, which contains 13 digits. The first three or two digits will indicate in which country this or that product was produced.
Step 2
It makes no sense to reproduce the complete list of codes. You shouldn't memorize it either. In addition, there are special computer programs that display the name of the country from the numbers entered from the keyboard. Part of the list:
00-09 Canada and USA;
400-440 Germany;
460-469 Russia;
50 Great Britain;
76 Switzerland;
869 Turkey;
888 Singapore.
The middle four or five digits reflect the facility where the product is produced. The last five digits show weight, color, name and other characteristics of the product. If for when automation of production and warehousing is not needed.
Step 3
The last digit in the barcode is the check digit. It is calculated using a special algorithm and depends on the leading digits. You can, of course, start checking the authenticity of the goods in this way, but fraudsters and these numbers can fake. So it's better to focus on your own feelings when buying a product.
