FAILURE MAP
← Case archive

FA-72461 / Check-digit algorithms / Open access

GTIN check digit uses the raw remainder · case 01

Nearly every valid code is rejected.

Verified by executionVariant 1 · 8 checks per implementationDownload source bundle ↓JSON ↗

ROOT CAUSE

The check digit is computed as total % 10 instead of the ten-complement.

VERIFIED REPAIR

Use (10 - total % 10) % 10.

Unsuccessful approach: Dropping the outer % 10 yields 10 whenever the sum is a multiple of ten.

Case contract

Validate a GTIN-8, GTIN-12, GTIN-13 or GTIN-14 given as ASCII digits (any other length or character: "malformed"). Weights 3,1 alternate starting with 3 on the digit immediately left of the check digit, so the alignment is from the right for every length. Return [kind, check digit matches].

Why this case matters

Retail and logistics scanners accept several GTIN lengths through one validator.

1 / The failure

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(s):
    if not s.isascii() or not s.isdigit() or len(s) not in (8, 12, 13, 14):
        return 'malformed'
    body = s[:-1]
    total = 0
    for i, ch in enumerate(reversed(body)):
        total += int(ch) * (3 if i % 2 == 0 else 1)
    check = total % 10
    kind = {8: 'GTIN-8', 12: 'GTIN-12', 13: 'GTIN-13', 14: 'GTIN-14'}[len(s)]
    return [kind, check == int(s[-1])]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[['regression ["934235100467"]', ['934235100467'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['regression ["0916391037047"]', ['0916391037047'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251955"]', ['07251955'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251952"]', ['07251952'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["934235100464"]', ['934235100464'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["0916391037044"]', ['0916391037044'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["59804222888445"]', ['59804222888445'], ['GTIN-14', False]]], [['regression ["8847703723452"]', ['8847703723452'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['regression ["033345301891"]', ['033345301891'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["8847703723459"]', ['8847703723459'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["033345301898"]', ['033345301898'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["12641168"]', ['12641168'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["84650644669478"]', ['84650644669478'], ['GTIN-14', False]], ['control ["6916522076168"]', ['6916522076168'], ['GTIN-13', False]]], [['regression ["84650644669471"]', ['84650644669471'], ['GTIN-14', True]], ['regression ["6916522076161"]', ['6916522076161'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["10614141000415"]', ['10614141000415'], ['GTIN-14', True]], ['control ["4006381333932"]', ['4006381333932'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["0"]', ['0'], 'malformed'], ['control ["123456789012345"]', ['123456789012345'], 'malformed'], ['control ["400638133393"]', ['400638133393'], ['GTIN-12', False]]], [['regression ["036000291452"]', ['036000291452'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['regression ["96385074"]', ['96385074'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["40063813339a1"]', ['40063813339a1'], 'malformed'], ['control ["07251955"]', ['07251955'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251952"]', ['07251952'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["934235100464"]', ['934235100464'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["0916391037044"]', ['0916391037044'], ['GTIN-13', False]]], [['regression ["5901234123457"]', ['5901234123457'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['regression ["934235100467"]', ['934235100467'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["59804222888445"]', ['59804222888445'], ['GTIN-14', False]], ['control ["8847703723459"]', ['8847703723459'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["033345301898"]', ['033345301898'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["12641168"]', ['12641168'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["84650644669478"]', ['84650644669478'], ['GTIN-14', False]]]]
for label, args, expected in fixtures[N - 1]:
    check(label, solve(*args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
regression ["934235100467"]['GTIN-12', False]['GTIN-12', True]Failed
regression ["0916391037047"]['GTIN-13', False]['GTIN-13', True]Failed
partial-repair ["00000000"]['GTIN-8', True]['GTIN-8', True]Passed
control ["07251955"]['GTIN-8', True]['GTIN-8', True]Passed
control ["07251952"]['GTIN-8', False]['GTIN-8', False]Passed
control ["934235100464"]['GTIN-12', False]['GTIN-12', False]Passed
control ["0916391037044"]['GTIN-13', False]['GTIN-13', False]Passed
control ["59804222888445"]['GTIN-14', False]['GTIN-14', False]Passed

SHA-256 / 9b78415c36756b05c935b002a82fa60154ef79d630593191de4e06f0c66af801

2 / The unsuccessful fix

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(s):
    if not s.isascii() or not s.isdigit() or len(s) not in (8, 12, 13, 14):
        return 'malformed'
    body = s[:-1]
    total = 0
    for i, ch in enumerate(reversed(body)):
        total += int(ch) * (3 if i % 2 == 0 else 1)
    check = 10 - total % 10
    kind = {8: 'GTIN-8', 12: 'GTIN-12', 13: 'GTIN-13', 14: 'GTIN-14'}[len(s)]
    return [kind, check == int(s[-1])]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[['regression ["934235100467"]', ['934235100467'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['regression ["0916391037047"]', ['0916391037047'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251955"]', ['07251955'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251952"]', ['07251952'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["934235100464"]', ['934235100464'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["0916391037044"]', ['0916391037044'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["59804222888445"]', ['59804222888445'], ['GTIN-14', False]]], [['regression ["8847703723452"]', ['8847703723452'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['regression ["033345301891"]', ['033345301891'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["8847703723459"]', ['8847703723459'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["033345301898"]', ['033345301898'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["12641168"]', ['12641168'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["84650644669478"]', ['84650644669478'], ['GTIN-14', False]], ['control ["6916522076168"]', ['6916522076168'], ['GTIN-13', False]]], [['regression ["84650644669471"]', ['84650644669471'], ['GTIN-14', True]], ['regression ["6916522076161"]', ['6916522076161'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["10614141000415"]', ['10614141000415'], ['GTIN-14', True]], ['control ["4006381333932"]', ['4006381333932'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["0"]', ['0'], 'malformed'], ['control ["123456789012345"]', ['123456789012345'], 'malformed'], ['control ["400638133393"]', ['400638133393'], ['GTIN-12', False]]], [['regression ["036000291452"]', ['036000291452'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['regression ["96385074"]', ['96385074'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["40063813339a1"]', ['40063813339a1'], 'malformed'], ['control ["07251955"]', ['07251955'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251952"]', ['07251952'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["934235100464"]', ['934235100464'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["0916391037044"]', ['0916391037044'], ['GTIN-13', False]]], [['regression ["5901234123457"]', ['5901234123457'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['regression ["934235100467"]', ['934235100467'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["59804222888445"]', ['59804222888445'], ['GTIN-14', False]], ['control ["8847703723459"]', ['8847703723459'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["033345301898"]', ['033345301898'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["12641168"]', ['12641168'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["84650644669478"]', ['84650644669478'], ['GTIN-14', False]]]]
for label, args, expected in fixtures[N - 1]:
    check(label, solve(*args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
regression ["934235100467"]['GTIN-12', True]['GTIN-12', True]Passed
regression ["0916391037047"]['GTIN-13', True]['GTIN-13', True]Passed
partial-repair ["00000000"]['GTIN-8', False]['GTIN-8', True]Failed
control ["07251955"]['GTIN-8', True]['GTIN-8', True]Passed
control ["07251952"]['GTIN-8', False]['GTIN-8', False]Passed
control ["934235100464"]['GTIN-12', False]['GTIN-12', False]Passed
control ["0916391037044"]['GTIN-13', False]['GTIN-13', False]Passed
control ["59804222888445"]['GTIN-14', False]['GTIN-14', False]Passed

SHA-256 / d2f38a5663338909eb9e60ff49a7d4296634b08c8b29ee1a4805d5e785e642e8

3 / The verified repair

Exit 0
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(s):
    if not s.isascii() or not s.isdigit() or len(s) not in (8, 12, 13, 14):
        return 'malformed'
    body = s[:-1]
    total = 0
    for i, ch in enumerate(reversed(body)):
        total += int(ch) * (3 if i % 2 == 0 else 1)
    check = (10 - total % 10) % 10
    kind = {8: 'GTIN-8', 12: 'GTIN-12', 13: 'GTIN-13', 14: 'GTIN-14'}[len(s)]
    return [kind, check == int(s[-1])]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[['regression ["934235100467"]', ['934235100467'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['regression ["0916391037047"]', ['0916391037047'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251955"]', ['07251955'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251952"]', ['07251952'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["934235100464"]', ['934235100464'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["0916391037044"]', ['0916391037044'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["59804222888445"]', ['59804222888445'], ['GTIN-14', False]]], [['regression ["8847703723452"]', ['8847703723452'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['regression ["033345301891"]', ['033345301891'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["8847703723459"]', ['8847703723459'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["033345301898"]', ['033345301898'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["12641168"]', ['12641168'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["84650644669478"]', ['84650644669478'], ['GTIN-14', False]], ['control ["6916522076168"]', ['6916522076168'], ['GTIN-13', False]]], [['regression ["84650644669471"]', ['84650644669471'], ['GTIN-14', True]], ['regression ["6916522076161"]', ['6916522076161'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["10614141000415"]', ['10614141000415'], ['GTIN-14', True]], ['control ["4006381333932"]', ['4006381333932'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["0"]', ['0'], 'malformed'], ['control ["123456789012345"]', ['123456789012345'], 'malformed'], ['control ["400638133393"]', ['400638133393'], ['GTIN-12', False]]], [['regression ["036000291452"]', ['036000291452'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['regression ["96385074"]', ['96385074'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["40063813339a1"]', ['40063813339a1'], 'malformed'], ['control ["07251955"]', ['07251955'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["07251952"]', ['07251952'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["934235100464"]', ['934235100464'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["0916391037044"]', ['0916391037044'], ['GTIN-13', False]]], [['regression ["5901234123457"]', ['5901234123457'], ['GTIN-13', True]], ['regression ["934235100467"]', ['934235100467'], ['GTIN-12', True]], ['partial-repair ["00000000"]', ['00000000'], ['GTIN-8', True]], ['control ["59804222888445"]', ['59804222888445'], ['GTIN-14', False]], ['control ["8847703723459"]', ['8847703723459'], ['GTIN-13', False]], ['control ["033345301898"]', ['033345301898'], ['GTIN-12', False]], ['control ["12641168"]', ['12641168'], ['GTIN-8', False]], ['control ["84650644669478"]', ['84650644669478'], ['GTIN-14', False]]]]
for label, args, expected in fixtures[N - 1]:
    check(label, solve(*args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
regression ["934235100467"]['GTIN-12', True]['GTIN-12', True]Passed
regression ["0916391037047"]['GTIN-13', True]['GTIN-13', True]Passed
partial-repair ["00000000"]['GTIN-8', True]['GTIN-8', True]Passed
control ["07251955"]['GTIN-8', True]['GTIN-8', True]Passed
control ["07251952"]['GTIN-8', False]['GTIN-8', False]Passed
control ["934235100464"]['GTIN-12', False]['GTIN-12', False]Passed
control ["0916391037044"]['GTIN-13', False]['GTIN-13', False]Passed
control ["59804222888445"]['GTIN-14', False]['GTIN-14', False]Passed

SHA-256 / 58cf59b0fc5d15442aef38431b95c0f29eb753971e8925c261fded72433aa1b4

Verification & scope

A deterministic, bounded teaching model of the named scheme under the stated contract; not a certified validator. This reproducer isolates one failure mechanism. Results cover the supplied fixtures. Variants within a family share a test contract and should remain grouped when constructing evaluation splits. Related mechanisms with a shared evaluation_group must also remain together; these controlled models are not independent production incidents.

Observations recorded using Python 3.12.14 at 2026-09-29T14:48:38.728911+00:00.

Case digest / 6719e87b4521700a92528eae08d7cbc01ba714b6d70c7ab1a688b8096e087006