Serial number

A Serial Number is a unique number that is one of a series assigned for identification which varies from its successor or predecessor by a fixed discreet integer value. Common usage has expanded the term to refer to any unique alphanumeric identifier for one of a large set of objects, however in data processing and allied fields in computer science, the distinction between serial and nominal numbers is an important one.

Related Topics:
Number - Series - Identification - Successor - Predecessor - Integer - Alphanumeric - Set - Data processing - Computer science - Nominal number

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When considered as serial numbers no value has any particular

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significance, there is no minimum or maximum serial number, every

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value has a successor and predecessor. Serial numbers are formed from non-negative integers from a finite subset of the range of all integer values. The lowest integer in every subset used for this purpose is zero.

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In computer science applications, the maximum is always one less than a power of two.

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To define a serial number to be used in this way, the size of the

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serial number space must be given. This value, called "SERIAL_BITS",

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gives the power of two which results in one larger than the largest

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integer corresponding to a serial number value. This also specifies

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the number of bits required to hold every possible value of a serial

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number of the defined type. The operations permitted upon serial

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numbers are defined in the following section.

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