ripplecarry
nounUK /ˈrɪpəlˌkæri/
US /ˈrɪpəlˌkæri/
A ripple carry is a way for a computer to add numbers by passing a carry bit along one step at a time.
The ripple carry adder adds the two numbers bit by bit, passing each carry to the next position.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The act of a carry bit moving from one digit position to the next in binary addition.
The ripple carry moved through all four bits before the sum was ready.
3. A type of digital circuit that adds binary numbers using a chain of full adders.
The simplest adder design is the ripple carry, though it is slower than a carry-lookahead adder.
4. A carry that spreads step by step through a sequence of positions, like a ripple.
Engineers study the ripple carry to understand how fast a circuit can finish adding.